Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) had a horrific first half of the Indian Premier League (IPL 2021) winning only two out of seven matches. The team sits seventh on the points table and has a huge task ahead of them if it were to qualify for the playoffs. 

KKR’s veteran wicketkeeper-batsman Dinesh Karthik is optimistic and believes that the team can win six out of the remaining seven matches that will be played in UAE to end in the top four. 

"We want to win six out of seven matches (to qualify). It's as simple as that. As a team that's what we'll be looking to do. Take one game at a time but try and win six out of seven matches," Karthik told the KKR website.

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The Eoin Morgan-led franchise missed out on a playoff spot narrowly, owing to poor net run rate in the previous two seasons. 

"Last year when we were in UAE, we missed it (qualifying for playoffs) by a whisker. We won as many matches as the last team had won but still just missed it by a whisker. Two years on the trot, we have been fifth on the table. That's something that still gnaws at me," Karthik said.

Karthik said that the team will look at the positives and continue playing aggressive cricket. 

"KKR is known to play very positive and aggressive cricket. I want that to come through in the second half. I still think the team spirit is good. We're positive and we've a coach who's always infusing positivity into us," he said.

KKR will face Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) on 20 September to kickstart their second phase of the tournament.  

(With PTI inputs)