Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) captain Dinesh Karthik admitted the team will miss the energy of Eden Gardens in IPL 2020. Playing in front of the home crowd has a completely different experience and Eden Gardens was called KKR's 12th man.

The support Knight Riders got at home was incomparable. During match days it felt like the stadium is covered with a purple and golden blanket. Karthik wants to let his fans at Kolkata know how much they will miss them.

IPL 2020 is scheduled to be played in UAE with no crowd in wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.

”We will be missing our fans this year and the energy of Eden Gardens. We wanted to communicate directly with KKR fans and wanted to convey what they mean to us. We do understand that they can’t be here in person with us, but they will be in our heart,” Karthik said here while launching a campaign titled “Tu Fan Nahi Toofan Hai!”.

ALSO READ: IPL 2020: WATCH - Kings XI Punjab and Kolkata Knight Riders enjoy their rest day

Karthik and co will dedicate this season to the people of the state who were recently hit by the Cyclone Amphan and the COVID-19.

“This year, it’s not so much for us. We’re playing for you all. We want to put a smile on their faces through our cricket. If we play the right brand of cricket, I’m sure we will make sure that you know we put a smile on every KKR fan out there.” 

Kuldeep Yadav said they are aiming to win the title for their fans. “This year we want to win the title for our fans. They have given us so much love over the years, and this year even when they aren’t with us, we can feel their support and energy."

KKR will start their IPL 2020 campaign by facing Mumbai Indians on September 23.

“For KKR, our biggest strength is our fans. The players have always been inspired by the unwavering dedication of our fans who support the team in highs and lows,” KKR CEO and MD Venky Mysore said.

(With PTI Inputs)