After a turbulent start in foreign lands and heartbreaks on home soil, Kolkata Knight Riders found their rhythm, their belief, and their unstoppable run—nine wins that led to one unforgettable title
It wasn't always rosy. Kolkata Knight Riders began IPL 2014 like a team searching for rhythm. They stumbled. They shuffled. However, once they found their tune, they danced to their second IPL crown — on the back of a record-breaking nine-match winning streak.
Here's how a misfiring team became an unstoppable force.
The campaign kicked off in the UAE's golden sun, but KKR's performance was anything but bright. In five games, they managed just two wins. There were defeats. There was a Super Over heartbreak. Gautam Gambhir, usually calm and collected, couldn't buy a run. Three ducks in a row rattled the skipper. The team looked disjointed. The batting order kept shuffling.
Even Delhi Daredevils, the weakest team of the season, pulled off a win against them. But through it all, the team showed remarkable resilience, refusing to be disheartened by the early setbacks. At the end of the UAE leg, KKR had four points and a mountain to climb.
Returning to Indian pitches didn't immediately flip the script. Two straight losses followed. The second, a heartbreaker, came against Rajasthan Royals. Chasing 171, KKR were cruising at 121 without loss. Then came the collapse. Six wickets fell for two runs. The game slipped, and so did their momentum. But then something clicked.
Against Delhi Daredevils, a pivotal decision was made. Robin Uthappa was promoted to open. That one decision changed everything. He started anchoring innings, scoring 40+ in match after match. His form sparked a revival. From there, KKR caught fire, showing the audience the significant impact a single decision can have on a team's performance.
Once they beat Delhi, they couldn't stop winning.
With that, KKR had climbed to second place in the table — a miraculous leap after such a rocky start.
Rain tried to spoil the party, pushing the first qualifier to a reserve day. Kings XI won the toss and bowled. KKR posted 163. Uthappa, yet again, crossed 40. KXIP, despite their depth, never found momentum. The Eden crowd roared as KKR marched into the final. Eight wins on the trot now. One more, and the fairytale would be complete.
It wasn't easy. Not at all. Wriddhiman Saha played the innings of his life — a jaw-dropping 115. Manan Vohra gave him strong company. Kings XI ended up with 199. A huge target. One that could crush most teams.
However, Manish Pandey had other ideas. He batted like a man possessed. His 94 from 50 balls was fearless, flashy, and vital. Yusuf Pathan chipped in again. And then, at the very end, it was left to Piyush Chawla. The leggie held his nerve. A four. A six. And then a boundary to seal the crown.
The turnaround was staggering. At the start of the tournament, KKR, lost in the desert, found their soul back home. Uthappa became a metronome at the top. Pathan and Pandey delivered the drama. The bowlers — Narine, Yadav, Morkel — stood tall under pressure. But above all, they believed. And leading that belief, from the frontlines, was Gautam Gambhir — the captain who kept his cool when things were falling apart and steered his team towards glory with quiet resilience.
Their unwavering belief and determination were the driving forces behind their nine consecutive wins and their second title in three years. It is a story that reminds us — that form is temporary, but momentum is magic.
