IPL 2017: Chris Woakes believes Kolkata Knight Riders can still finish in top two

Back to back defeats in a fast-paced tournament can be detrimental but Kolkata Knight Riders all- rounder Chris Woakes is confident that their side will win the remaining matches to finish among top-two going into the play-offs of the Indian Premier League (IPL).

“Our camp is still upbeat. We have some important games coming up and we want to make sure that we win to qualify. We still firmly believe in the dressing room that we can go on to finish in top two,” Woakes said his team’s four-wicket loss to Rising Pune Supergiant.

A top-two finish in the league gives a team two chances to make it to the final as they are entitled to play Qualifiers. The third and fourth teams are engaged in an Eliminator.

“We did not quite get going in the Powerplay. To lose three wickets in Powerplay put us behind but we always tried to rebuild. When you keep losing wickets in T20 cricket, it’s hard to keep up with the rate. We were probably short by 15-20 runs. We were below-par and not an ideal score to defend on this wicket,” Woakes said.

Unlike a cliched about taking positives from a victory, Woakes said there were none. …read more