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IPL 2021, Kolkata Knight Riders road to final: How Eoin Morgan & co. become unlikely finalists
KKR were lying among the bottom half of the table, and it seemed like it would be a disappointing run for the franchise this season as well. But a stunning comeback in the UAE has made them a title contender.
Two-time Indian Premier League 2021 champions Kolkata Knight Riders will fight for their third title when they face off against Chennai Super Kings in the final on Friday in Dubai. At one stage, KKR were lying among the bottom half of the table, and it seemed like it would be a disappointing run for the franchise this season as well. But a stunning comeback in the UAE has made them a title contender.
Here is a look at KKR's road to final:
Disappointing India leg
Kolkata Knight Riders had a disappointing leg in India where they picked up only two wins in seven games and finished in the seventh spot in the table by the time the season was suspended. KKR registered wins over Sunrisers Hyderabad and Punjab Kings, but they too were in the bottom half of the table, and hence, it did not help KKR in improving their position.
Comeback in UAE
The UAE leg started off on a high for KKR as they defeated Royal Challengers Bangalore by 9 wickets, chasing 93 runs in just 10 overs to get a huge boost in their Net Run Rate. In their next game, they defeated Mumbai Indians by 7 wickets, chasing 159 in just 15.1 overs, thus further increasing their Net Run Rate. Due to a high NRR, KKR all but cemented their fourth spot in the table as Rajasthan Royals, Punjab Kings, and Mumbai Indians were left to play catch up with KKR.
Two big wins to final
But reaching the playoffs was just the first step. KKR had to go past RCB and DC once again to book a date with CSK in the final. Eoin Morgan & co. defeated Virat Kohli's Bangalore in the Eliminator by 4 wickets in a match that went right down to the wire. KKR, on Wednesday, defeated DC in a thriller by 3 wickets to book a spot in the final.
