Qualifiers and Eliminators are just terms to create more pressure for matches: Virat Kohli

Virat Kohli

RCB and KKR will see each other in the Eliminator of IPL 2021 and it remains to be seen which team takes away the contest to see DC in the Qualifier 2. RCB stands to be one star-studded team that is devoid of an IPL Trophy yet and it remains to be seen if Virat Kohli and his men will be able to pull off the feat this time in the UAE.

Talking ahead of the game against KKR, RCB star player AB de Villiers opened up on the team’s preparations. He stated that we wouldn’t like to lose from here as it will dent all our hard work and sweat so far and the team will be shown the exit door. Talking about the skipper, De Villiers added that Virat Kohli will be full of enthusiasm and we will all be in our fifth gears once the game begins.

“Naturally, the intensity goes up when everything is on the line, you think back to when we started the IPL to now – we’ve put in a lot of effort, so it is natural for the juices to start flowing a bit more. Skillset stays the same, my game plan won’t change much, and I think the cricket that we are trying to play will not change much. There will definitely be more to lose for everyone out there – I mean, you lose, you’re going home. You think back on all the effort you have put in, you don’t want that to happen. And it’s all on the line, body on the line and stuff, he (Virat Kohli) will be full of adrenaline, as always. And he will be making sure we all are in the fifth gear once the eliminator starts,” said AB de Villiers ahead of eliminator against KKR in conversation with the Star Sports show Inside RCB.

We have a lot of confidence in our team: Virat Kohli

In the same line of events, skipper Virat Kohli added that they are brimming with confidence ahead of the clash against KKR, and Eliminators and Qualifiers are just names to create more pressure for the matches. He believes that his team is in the right frame of mind to execute all their positive plans and that they are looking forward to giving their best in the game.

“We have a lot of confidence in our team, if not the top two spot (on the points table), then we will have to win two more matches to reach the Final, and we are fully prepared for that. You prepare for all kinds of possibilities, and the way I see it, Qualifiers and Eliminators are just terms that exist to create more pressure for these matches. When you play cricket, you either win or lose, so when you think you have two options (winning or losing), then that mindset can possibly turn into a negative one. Our focus is to go out, execute our plans and win games. When your only option is winning, and losing is not an option, then your performance reaches another level and I feel our team is in the right space to execute our plans,” said Virat Kohli before the clash against KKR.