KKR peeking at the right time, says captain Karthik

Kolkata Knight Riders skipper Dinesh Karthik feels the team is peaking at the right time after making the playoffs by beating Sunrisers Hyderabad in a must-win IPL game.

Unlike last season, Kolkata Knight Riders have gathered pace just at the right time. The two-time champions registered a hat-trick of wins to secure a spot in the playoffs and when they take the field for the eliminator on Tuesday their confidence would be sky high.

Skipper Dinesh Karthik too feels the team is peaking at the right time beating Sunrisers Hyderabad in a must-win game.

"I think all eight teams strive for the play-off spots, so happy to reach there. Things are slowly setting in. Just the way we are playing shows good character. I'd like to think that (we're peaking at the right time)," Karthik said at the post match presentation ceremony.

KKR needed to win against SRH to ensure a place in the knockout stages and they did it with ease in the end riding Chris Lynn's 43-ball 55.

SRH had posted 172/9 riding Shikhar Dhawan's fifty.

“It's a great feeling. We're building momentum nicely, so let's see what happens," Man of the match Lynn said after the match.

"I am finding my touch. Sunil (Narine) is blasting it at the other end, so we've two blokes doing that now.”

"The main thing is to build partnerships. It's good fun (when Sunil is batting). He can take the momentum away from the other team. He keeps it nice and simple, and that seems to be working for him. Couple of wins on the board, and we're not going to change the way we play," added the big-hitting Australian opener. Along with Narine, the pair set the tone for KKR's chase with a 22-ball 52 run stand for the opening wicket.

Meanwhile, Sunrisers skipper Kane Williamson said the team would look to bounce back in the playoffs.

"We were on target for more runs, wicket played really well. We should have scored around the 200-run mark but credit goes to KKR for dragging us back.

Lot of credit goes to the boys in the field. It doesn't matter what happens now, we need to come out and play with freedom in the playoffs.

Going in the exact opposite direction of KKR, Sunrisers have lost their last three league matches but skipper Williamson feels that won’t affect their playoff performances.

"Guys are looking forward to that but having said that we wanted to win this game. We have been fraction off the mark in the matches we have lost."