The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 have got their two finalists- Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) and Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), which is co-owned by the Bollywood Star Shah Rukh Khan. After a tough finish in the last couple of seasons of the tournament, KKR finished the IPL 2024 league stage at the top position.
The KKR franchise aim for its third title in the history of the IPL, after they first lifted the trophy in 2012, and backed it up with the second title in 2014. But since then, they made only one appearance in the final of the tournament, where they lost to Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in the 2021 season.
‘I remember some experts talking this’ – Shah Rukh Khan on KKR’s poor seasons in the past
In a recent video shared on Star Sports ahead of the IPL 2024 final, Shah Rukh Khan opened up on how the analysis of the former cricket players and the experts used to hurt him back in the old days when KKR lost their rhythm a little bit and was going through a poor run of form in the competition.
“Having the nicest set of team in the world and we kept on losing only again and again,” Shahrukh Khan told in a rent interview which has gone viral on the social platforms.
The veteran actor also spoke about bringing back Gautam Gambhir in the KKR team set-up as their mentor, and how the former left-handed opener, who lifted the trophy twice for them in those two seasons, taught them ‘how to lose but never be losers.
“I still remember, which was the saddest moment, kisi ne mujhe aise bola ‘inka costume hi achha hai, inka game play toh achhai hai hi nahi’ (someday said to me ‘only their playing kit is good, but not their game’),” SRK remembered those old days.
“I remember some expert talking about this. It used to hurt. To come back with GG (Gautam Gambhir) and do this was outstanding,” the KKR co-owner expressed in the same video. “It taught us how to lose but never be losers and never give up hope. Sports teaches you that.”
With the inclusion of Gambhir, back from the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) team in the KKR set-up, the ‘Purple franchise’ has looked to be in a different form and rhythm.
The two-time champions began the season on a very strong note with a victory by 4-runs against the Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) at home Eden Gardens, Kolkata. They blew away the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) by seven wickets, besides hammering the Delhi Capitals (DC) with a 106-run winning margin.
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KKR faced a little bit of slip in the middle of the tournament, but they never let the momentum getting away from their hand. The way they handed the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) a 98-run defeat at the Ekana Stadium, shows how all-round they have been in this IPL 2024.
Even they earned the tickets for the final with a comfortable win over the Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) during the first qualifier with an easy eight wicket win, chasing 160-runs and that too with more than six overs to spare.