Hyderabad: The Kolkata Knight Riders are a happy bunch, not just because they’ve beaten table-toppers Sunrisers Hyderabad in their last league match and qualified for the Playoffs but that Wednesday’s knockout game will be played in their own den of Eden.
“We are feeling great and looking forward to who we will meet in the Eliminator,” KKR’s Shubman Gill said after the game on Saturday night here. “Obviously we have the home advantage playing in Kolkata. We have a better idea of the wicket there,” the smile widens.
Back to the Hyderabad game, Gill says “the way we played in the death overs was the turning point. Our bowlers did really well.”
KKR had gone for a bit too much in the PowerPlay period though. “Bowlers have good days and bad days but the way we came back is really great,” the 18-year-old defended.
The KKR batsman said his side were unfazed chasing 172. “We got a good start and the wicket felt good. Initially we thought it would take turn towards end but as it panned out, it went off well,” he said before heaping praise on openers Chris Lynn and Sunil Narine. “We have been getting good starts in almost every match, which gives batsmen coming lower down the order enough time to score.”
On the other hand, Sunrisers opener Shreevats Goswami felt his side were “about 15 to 20 runs short.”
“We had a good opening stand but once Kane (Williamson) got out we got tied up and got only about 30 odd in the final five overs. In the whole season, the Hyderabad wicket has been the best and we didn’t go for big shots in the middle,” he explained.
Is going into the Playoffs on the back of three losses a worry? “I think momentum doesn’t come into play when a team gets into the Qualifiers — everybody comes well prepared. Right now we have lost three games but we’ll assess our strengths and weaknesses and come back stronger,” he said.
“Yes, Chennai (Super Kings, their opponents in the Qualifier) have beaten us twice and whoever wins in Kolkata makes the final. Momentum works quite well in the league phase but when it comes to the Playoffs, their game on that day becomes important,” Goswami explained.
Asked about SRH’s ability to defend small totals, he said: “It’s not every day that we can turn up and defend a small total. When we come to the 14th game, obviously the other teams will be more prepared, having seen videos of us.”
