IPL 2021: Kolkata Knight Riders fourth team to arrive in the UAE

Kolkata: Kolkata Knight Riders, two-time champions, are the fourth team to have reached the shores of UAE for the second phase of IPL 2021 - scheduled to begin from September 19. KKR will be based out of Abu Dhabi like last year alongwith reigning champions Mumbai Indians while Chennai Super Kings and Delhi Capitals have set up camps in Dubai.

The Knights, who had won their second title in 2014 after opening the campaign in the UAE, will be hoping the gulf country brings them the good omen as they are currently at seventh place in the points table with only four points from seven matches. They will resume their IPL 2021 campaign against the Royal Challengers Bangalore in the UAE capital on September 20.

“The first half didn’t go our way that doesn’t mean this half won’t go our way. If in 2014, we have written history then I don’t think why we can’t write history now again,” batsman Sheldon Jackson said on the official website of the franchise.

Shivam Mavi, a Under-19 former Indian star, posted an Instagram story of a selfie featuring him, Kuldeep Yadav, Kamlesh Nagarkoti, and Rahul Tripathi in PPE kits inside the aircraft. The team had been through a brief period of quarantine in Mumbai.

Earlier, former captain and wicketkeeper-batsman Dinesh Karthik said that he will join the Knight Riders after completing commentary duties for Sky Sports in the ongoing third Test between England and India at Leeds.

Chinaman bowler Kuldeep Yadav, who was returning after his international duty against Sri Lanka along with Nitish Rana, Varun Chakravarthy and Sandeep Warrier said, “Break is something that’s good for a team, especially because we didn’t have the momentum in the first half. This is a good opportunity for us.”