Aussie allrounder hits quick-fire 50 amid remarkable feast of runs at Eden Gardens
Cameron Green’s second half-century of IPL 2026 has helped Kolkata Knight Riders to a fourth win in five, downing high-flying Gujarat Titans in a high-scoring affair at Eden Gardens.
Green smashed 52no from 28 balls in a monster total of 2-247, the right-hander adding an unbroken 108 for the third wicket in just 52 balls with wicketkeeper Angkrish Raghuvanshi.
Raghuvanshi (82no off 44) and Kiwi blaster Finn Allen (93 off 35) were the true stars of the show, the pair blazing 17 sixes between them in a remarkable onslaught.
Leading into the contest, Gujarat had enjoyed a run of five straight wins to surge into second spot, and despite racing to 0-42 after three overs in their reply, the scale of the task quickly told.
Their situation wasn’t helped when Orange Cup holder Sai Sudharsan went off injured shortly after that opening burst, having been struck on the elbow. He returned to the crease in the 17th over, finishing unbeaten on 53 from 28 balls, but by then the match was all but over.
Green had some fortune when he was dropped on 23 in the 16th over, and the West Australian capitalised, showing his awesome power with four sixes.
He returned to action soon after, taking the new ball alongside Saurabh Dubey and finishing with a respectable 1-25 from three overs.
The match had gotten off to a sedate start as Titans new-ball pair Mohammed Siraj and Kagiso Rabada conceded just eight from the opening two overs. But from there the floodgates opened, as Allen, who was dropped twice, went on an extraordinary run of hitting 10 sixes in 23 balls.
Titans stars Shubman Gill (85 from 49) and Jos Buttler (57 from 35) attempted to keep their side in the hunt but given their previous record chase was 204, a target of 248 always seemed beyond their reach.
It’s now possible that Kolkata could still make the top four if they can win their remaining two matches, both at their home stadium, but Gujarat, with Matthew Hayden working as their batting coach, just need victory against Chennai Super Kings on Thursday to confirm their playoff place.
“Dropping three sitters, I don’t think we deserved to win this one,” Gill sighed. “Best to have a game like this now rather than in the qualifiers.”
IPL 2026 standings
Australians in IPL 2026
Chennai Super Kings: Matt Short ($255k), Spencer Johnson ($255k, replaces Nathan Ellis ($340k))
Delhi Capitals: Mitchell Starc ($2m)
Royal Challengers Bengaluru: Josh Hazlewood ($2.13m), Tim David ($510k)
Punjab Kings: Marcus Stoinis ($1.9m), Ben Dwarshuis ($745k), Mitchell Owen ($510k), Cooper Connolly ($510k), Xavier Bartlett ($136k)
Kolkata Knight Riders: Cameron Green ($3.5m)
Sunrisers Hyderabad: Pat Cummins ($3.5m), Travis Head ($2.38m), Jack Edwards ($510k, withdrawn)
Lucknow Super Giants: Josh Inglis ($1.49m), Mitchell Marsh ($578k)
