Kolkata (West Bengal) [India]: Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) captain Ajinkya Rahane described the two-wicket loss to Chennai Super Kings (CSK) as “really tough” after his side was edged out in a nail-biter at Eden Gardens on Wednesday.
Despite putting up a competitive total of 179/6, KKR couldn’t defend the score, largely due to a game-changing 30-run over from pacer Vaibhav Arora, taken apart by Dewald Brevis in a counter-attacking display.
“We were 10-15 short, 185-195 would have been an ideal total on this pitch,” said Rahane, speaking after the match, as quoted by ESPNcricinfo.
Acknowledging the fine margins in T20 cricket, Rahane added:
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“In this format, one over can change the momentum. They [Brevis and Dube] took their chances, and it paid off. It’s all about being brave, and they were really brave.”
Despite the defeat, the KKR skipper had praise for his bowlers:
“No complaints at all, the bowlers tried their best.”
With two matches left in the league stage, KKR’s playoff chances now hang in the balance. The path forward, according to Rahane, is straightforward:
“Try to win two out of two, and then see what happens from there.”
The loss leaves KKR in a must-win situation and reliant on results from other fixtures to secure a playoff berth in IPL 2025.