Finn Allen stars as Kolkata stay alive in IPL with victory against Gujarat

[p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/kolkata-knight-riders/nmRRRXaA/"]Kolkata[/a]'s top-order gave a brilliant batting effort, as they notched up 247-2.[/p][p]Angkrish Raghuvanshi clobbered 82 not out off 44 balls, and Cameron Green hit 52 not out off 28 balls, as the hosts powered to the third-highest total in their history.[/p][p]Sunil Narine then took 2-29 in his 200th IPL game as [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/gujarat-titans/WxbsgtO5/"]Gujarat[/a] were restricted to 218-4.[/p][p]Skipper Shubman Gill's 85 was in vain, as the Titans missed a chance to go top of the table.[/p][p]Gujarat remain second with 16 points from 13 games. They need to win their final match against Chennai Super Kings on Thursday to confirm qualification for the playoffs.[/p][p][b]"200-210 seemed par for that wicket but we dropped too many catches, our fielding could have been better,"[/b] Gill said.[/p][p]"Dropping three simple chances meant we didn't deserve to win this game.[/p][p][b]"It is better to have a game like this now and not in the knockouts," [/b]he added.[/p][p]Kolkata kept their slim chances of making the knock-outs alive and are seventh with 11 points from 12 games.[/p][p]They have two games remaining and need to win both and hope other results go their way.[/p][p][b]"We have been putting in the hard yards, preparing well, and it is showing," [/b]Narine said after reaching a double century of IPL games.[/p][p]"Hopefully we can continue winning, no matter what the tournament has in store for us.[/p][p][b]"God gave me the strength, health and talent to play 200 games. Hopefully, I will play many more,"[/b] he added.[/p][p]Put in to bat, Kolkata skipper Ajinkya Rahane fell cheaply but Allen survived two dropped catches to reach his fifty off 21 balls with four sixes.[/p][p]Overall, Allen hit 10 sixes and put on 95 off 41 balls with Raghuvanshi for the second wicket.[/p][p]After scoring 56-1 in the powerplay, Kolkata accelerated to 100 off the next 18 balls.[/p][p]Raghuvanshi brought up his fifty off 33 balls, with four sixes. It was his fourth half-century this season.[/p][p]It was only Allen's second 50-plus score this season.[/p][p]He had previously scored 100 not out off 47 balls against Delhi but fell seven short of a hundred this time, caught on the midwicket boundary in the 12th over.[/p][embed guid="976b6b3b-4470-4416-a28e-ca89bd3f2906" url="https://x.com/IPL/status/2055718350932894180" social-type="twitter" /][p]Raghuvanshi carried on, adding 108 off 52 balls with Green, who hit four sixes.[/p][p]It was Kolkata's highest partnership against Gujarat.[/p][p]Gujarat responded with a quick opening stand. Gill and Sai Sudharsan hit 42 off only 18 balls, before the latter retired hurt when he was hit on the elbow.[/p][p]The skipper regained his form and added 128 off 73 balls with Jos Buttler, who scored 57.[/p][p]Gill suffered from neck cramps and needed treatment. He hit seven sixes but was eventually caught on the boundary by Anukul Roy, a step away from the rope.[/p][p]It was Narine's second wicket and despite having Buttler at the crease, Gujarat never really gained sufficient momentum, even with Sudharsan returning to complete his half-century.[/p][p]This was the first instance of six half-centuries in a single IPL game.[/p][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/cricket/gujarat-titans-WxbsgtO5/kolkata-knight-riders-nmRRRXaA/?mid=4j7EHzcm"][b]Check out the match stats here[/b][/a].[/p]