India, April 17 -- Kolkata Knight Riders' campaign is as good as over, if truth be told.

On Friday night against Gujarat Titans, Ajinkya Rahane's men lost their fifth match of the 2026 Indian Premier League (IPL), and from here it will take a major miracle for them to qualify for the play-offs. No two ways about it.

There were two occasions against Gujarat Titans at the Narendera Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad that gave away that Shah Rukh Khan's franchise had thrown in the towel, to all intents and purposes. That there was no will to do well anymore.

The first one happened in the 17th over. Ramandeep Singh fell to tearaway pacer Ashok Sharma after playing one shot too many, and in came West Indian allrounder Sunil Narine. At the other end ...