Playoffs or not, KKR won't change their style vs DC: Head coach Abhishek Nayar

Kolkata Knight Riders head coach Abhishek Nayar insisted his side will not change their approach despite entering the final weekend of IPL 2026 needing results to make the playoffs. KKR’s campaign has suddenly revived after a remarkable turnaround and Nayar said the franchise remains focused on playing the “best possible cricket” regardless of the play-off equation.

KKR’s last league match against Delhi Capitals at Eden Gardens effectively became an elimination game for the defending champions. A win would take Kolkata to 15 points and keep their hopes alive, while a defeat or even a loss would eliminate them. Speaking at the pre-match press conference ahead of the must-win encounter, Nayar stressed that the team’s mentality will remain unchanged despite the pressure surrounding the play-off clash.

“There is always value. Imagine a player scoring a hundred tomorrow. Every game of cricket has value. Everything matters, every number, every win,” Nayar said.

“You have to understand that whoever buys a ticket and comes to watch the match tomorrow is going to see Kolkata Knight Riders. Every win brings happiness to the city and the players understand that very well.

“Our fans care a lot about the franchise. So it doesn’t matter if it’s a dead rubber or not. The mindset will remain the same, play the best cricket we can.”

“Each individual on the team represents not only the franchise, but also themselves. Everyone wants to leave an impression. The attitude remains the same, regardless of the outcome.”

Nayar also dismissed any idea of taking Delhi Capitals lightly despite their slim play-off chances, insisting that every side in the IPL remains dangerous.

“Every opponent in the IPL is a strong opponent. All the teams are beautifully balanced. They have the best players in the world, the best Indian players and young cricketers who are eager to make a name for themselves,” said Nayar.

“So there is no team in this format, especially in the IPL, that you can say is not strong. Every team is dangerous. Every team wants to perform at the highest level.”

“As I said, our approach has remained very consistent and we want to continue that. We assess the opposition and try to understand them, but at the end of the day, the team that plays the better cricket usually wins on the day.”

KKR’s sudden resurgence is one of the stories of the second half of IPL 2026. After picking up a single point from the opening six matches, Kolkata managed to completely turn their season around by winning six of their last seven matches, including a dramatic win over the Mumbai Indians, get back into playoff contention with 13 points from 13 games.

HOW CAN KKR QUALIFY FOR IPL 2026 PLAYOFFS?

KKR’s qualification equation remains difficult but very much alive.

KKR have to beat Delhi Capitals in their last league match
Loss or washout will remove them immediately
A win will take KKR to 15 points
Rajasthan Royals have to lose their last match against Mumbai Indians
A Punjab Kings loss to Lucknow Super Giants would help KKR avoid the NRR battle
If PBKS also finishes on 15 points, Net Run Rate can decide qualification
KKR currently holds a slightly better NRR of +0.011

CAN DC PRESENT A CHALLENGE AGAINST KKR?

Delhi Capitals may only have a mathematical chance, but they head to the Eden Gardens with momentum from a strong late-season recovery.

Axar Patel’s side kept themselves alive with important wins over Rajasthan Royals and Punjab Kings, while Mitchell Starc’s fiery spell against RR and a tense chase against PBKS helped DC stay in contention until the final weekend.

However, Delhi’s low net run rate of -0.871 remains their biggest problem.

Even if DC beat KKR to move to 14 points, they would still need both Rajasthan Royals and Punjab Kings to lose, along with NRR swinging heavily in their favor depending on the margin of results elsewhere.

– The end

Issued by:

Debodinna Chakraborty

Published on:

23 May 2026 19:52 IST

‘, e.appendChild