Kolkata Knight Riders were close to reaching the IPL (Indian Premier League) 2026 playoffs, but their dreams ended on the final day of the group phase. With Rajasthan Royals defeating Mumbai Indians on May 24th, the inaugural champions sealed their fourth-place finish, knocking out both Kolkata Knight Riders and Punjab Kings in the process.ย
It is worth noting that Kolkata Knight Riders got off to a horrid start to the IPL season, consecutively losing games and only getting their first point due to rain playing spoilsport. However, the side put forth some good performances in the back end of the season, coming close to reaching the playoffs.ย
Speaking on their performance, former India cricketer Deep Dasgupta took centre stage and talked about how the side had a difficult time due to many reasons, with many players being unavailable.ย
โKolkata Knight Riders had a difficult season in many ways, especially with the unavailability of several players during the first half of the tournament, particularly in the bowling department. That made it challenging for them to settle on the right balance early on,โ Deep Dasgupta told JioHotstar.ย
Also Read:ย ‘If they continue this way, they have strong chance to win IPL’: Ex-India pacer picks tournament’s contenders
IPL 2026 playoffs kick off on May 26
Speaking of the IPL 2026, the knockout stages of the tournament are all set to kick off on May 26. Qualifier 1 of the tournament will see Royal Challengers Bengaluru taking on Gujarat Titans. The two sides will meet at the HPCA Stadium in Dharamsala.ย
Notably, RCB finished in first place in the standings, whereas GT finished in second. Furthermore, the Eliminator of the tournament will see Sunrisers Hyderabad taking on Rajasthan Royals in Mullanpur. The two sides will meet on May 27, and the winner will play Qualifier 2 of the tournament.ย
Also Read: