IPL 2021: Shubman Gill confident KKR can qualify for playoffs

Shubman Gill is confident that Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) are still in contention to qualify for the playoffs of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2021 despite sitting in seventh position in the points table.

KKR have claimed two wins, one more than bottom-placed Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) from their respective seven matches.

"I think we are very much in contention to finish in top 4. Whichever team qualifies, you never know what will happen. Hopefully we will win the remaining matches, make sure we qualify and then we'll see where we go from there," Gill told KKR's website after reaching the team hotel in Abu Dhabi ahead of the second part of the IPL 2021.

Gill, who recently was ruled out of the England Tests due to a shin injury, had an average season in the first half of the IPL 2021, scoring only 132 runs at an average of 18.85. The talented right-handed batsman failed to convert his starts for KKR before the tournament was halted indefinitely due to the COVID-19 outbreak across the team bubbles.

Talking about his plans for the second phase of IPL 2021, Gill said, "If we keep doing what we have done in the past years and just enjoy our game, then is possible that we will do well or qualify."

Only 29 fixtures were played when the virus struck the tournament, which was held in India. Soon after that, it was decided that the remainder of IPL 2021 would be played in the UAE, across Dubai, Sharjah and Abu Dhabi. When the tournament was suspended, Delhi Capitals (DC) were at the top with 12 points, ahead of Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) with 10 points each. Reigning champions Mumbai Indians (MI) were placed fourth with eight points.

Meanwhile, former KKR captain Gautam Gambhir feels that RCB and CSK can afford to lose a couple of matches, but other teams such as KKR, SRH and Punjab Kings cannot.

"From CSK and RCB's position, I think they have been in a position from which they can afford to lose a couple of games. Punjab Kings, KKR can't afford to do that. SRH can't afford to lose even a single game. That's why I think they will still have an advantage, especially CSK and RCB because they have got themselves into that position," Gambhir said on Star Sports.

KKR won their two titles - 2012 and 2014 - under the captaincy of Gambhir.