The Kolkata Knight runners can have a hard time right now with only three victories in eight games, but the versatile of Spin-Bowling Moeen Ali thinks that the reigning champions have what it takes to make a turnaround and make the IPL 2025 playoffs. With six games to do, they have to win at least five to have a chance to do the playoffs. “Yes definitively (we can make playoffs). If you look at the story, even Mumbai has had a bad start and now they have won four in a row and they fly. We must have this same state of mind. We are halfway, we have to win most of our matches,” said Moeen on the eve of their confrontation against the kings of the Pendjab here.
“This team has shown that it can take place. But it will take a lot of determination and belief to do so.” KKR’s stick failures harmed the team with Venkatesh Iyer, Rinku Singh, Andre Russell and Ramandeep Singh who have trouble finishing the matches.
During their last match against PBKS in Mullanpur, they sailed 62/2 in a pursuit of 112 points but collapsed, losing eight counters for only 33 points.
Before that, continuing 239 against Lucknow super-managers, KKR dropped only four points after a dramatic collapse of a strong position.
“Not so long ago, we almost hunted 240, so we played well between the two. It is a question of having the mentality where you are mistaken by making yourself believe that you are playing well and that you are doing everything,” said Moeen.
“Because the way we have beaten in the last two games, we are not going to win a lot. We have to go there, express ourselves and have fun more. Sometimes from the outside, it seems that the pressure is too much for the players, but it is a question of removing this and showing your skills.” Despite the inconsistencies, Moeen is optimistic about the potential of the team.
“The real force is that we have guys who can go ultra-aggressive like Sunil Narine, and also classic players like Ajinkya (Rahane), who is in red form. Angkrish (Raghuvanshi) is brilliantly, then there is Venky (Venkatesh Iyer), Rinku (Singh), myself (Andre) Russell-everything is there.
“We really have one of the lounge alignments of the strongest in competition. Some players like Angkrish and Ajinkya have done well, but as a unit, we have not clicked. It’s just about turning it back.” Having been in and out of the side, Moeen admitted that he had a better perspective at this stage of his career.
“To be honest, if I was younger and I was always playing cricket regularly, it would have been much more difficult. But now it is the mentality. I am preparing myself as if I played each game. When I receive the call, I am ready. Before coming here, I did not expect to play too many games anyway, so playing four is already positive from a personal point of view.” Thinking about their previous loss against PBKs, Moeen said that the collapse was summed up in a bad phase.
“It was literally a bad half hour or 40 minutes.” Yuzvendra Chahal was the winner of the match in this match with a transport with four gates, triggering a collapse of the KKR because they were all released for 95 in a prosecution of 112.
“The guys played Chahal several times and did well. He had a brilliant day, and we did not play it well at all. But you are going either by thinking that he will destroy you again, or you take it with confidence.
“I hope we do the latter. He is a very, very good bowler, but before this match, he also had a little trouble. Confidence can turn into a round, so maybe it will turn this time.”
(With the exception of the title, this story has not been published by NDTV staff and is published from a unionized flow.)
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