Top 5 knocks by a KKR batter in IPL playoffs ft. Ryan ten Doeschate 

The Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) have made it to the Indian Premier League (IPL) playoffs after a two-year absence. The Shreyas Iyer-led side dominated the league stage to finish as table-toppers and will take on the SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH) in Qualifier 1 at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Tuesday, May 21.

KKR's last two encounters in the league stage were washed out due to rain, and their last contest came against the Mumbai Indians (MI) at Eden Gardens.

After failing to make it to the knockout stages in each of their first three seasons. KKR have improved their track record. Since 2011, they have made it to the playoffs nine times, playing the final on three occasions, and winning twice.

As a result, they have a rich playoff legacy which includes several memorable and iconic performances as well. On that note, let us take a look at five of the best batting displays by KKR players in IPL playoffs history. It is to be noted that innings from Qualifier 1, Eliminator, and Qualifier 2 are only being considered, and not the finals.

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#1 Ryan ten Doeschate (70* off 49; IPL 2011 Eliminator; Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai)

The current KKR fielding coach and former all-rounder, Ryan ten Doeschate, had played a lone hand in KKR's Eliminator clash against the Mumbai Indians in the 2011 edition of the league.

The all-rounder came into bat when KKR were tottering at 20/4 in the sixth over. From that perilous situation, the Netherlands international scored 70 runs off 49 deliveries to help the franchise post a competitive total of 147/7. His unbeaten knock included eight fours and three sixes.

His knock, however, was in vain as MI chased down the total with four balls to spare, sealing KKR's exit from the competition.

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#2 Robin Uthappa (42 off 30; IPL 2014 Qualifier 1; Eden Gardens, Kolkata)

Robin Uthappa's 2014 IPL campaign is one for the history books. The wicketkeeper-batter dominated the proceedings at the top of the order and went on to win the Orange Cap as KKR claimed their second title that season.

In the first qualifier, Uthappa rose to the occasion after a brilliant league stage to score a brisk 42 runs off 30 balls in Qualifier 1 against the Kings XI Punjab (now renamed Punjab Kings). His knock was crucial to push KKR to 163/8 in the first innings.

Uthappa made the most of the powerplay phase by scoring four fours and two sixes, and his knock came at a strike rate of 140. The opposition struggled during the run chase following a shaky start and forgettable middle-over phase. They could only muster 135/8 in the second innings, sealing KKR's progress into the final.

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#3 Yusuf Pathan (40 off 21; IPL 2012 Qualifier 1; MCA Stadium, Pune)

Yusuf Pathan played a huge role in Gautam Gambhir's era as KKR captain. The all-rounder rescued the side on numerous occasions with his explosive batting down the order. His explosive knock against SRH propelled KKR to Qualifier 1 in 2014, but his knock in Qualifier 1 of IPL 2012 against the Delhi Daredevils (now renamed Delhi Capitals) was also equally important.

Pathan walked in with the score reading 91-3 in the 14th over when KKR desperately needed a boost. He was at his destructive best along with Laxmi Ratan Shukla at the back end of the innings to help KKR score 162/4 in 20 overs.

Pathan's unbeaten 40 runs off 21 deliveries came at a strike rate of 190.48 and included three fours and two sixes. His knock ended up being the difference between the two sides as Delhi fell 18 runs short of the target.

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#4 Andre Russell (49* off 25; IPL 2018 Eliminator; Eden Gardens, Kolkata)

Andre Russell played a vital hand in KKR's progress into Qualifier 2 of the 2018 IPL. The all-rounder scored an unbeaten 49 runs off 25 deliveries to bolster KKR's score at the Eden Gardens.

KKR suffered an early collapse, being reduced to 24/3 inside the powerplay. The team recovered to reach 106-5 in the 15th over courtesy of Shubman Gill and Dinesh Karthik. However, they were still far from a competitive total.

This is where Andre Russell came in. The Caribbean ace handled the death overs almost single-handedly to stretch KKR's total to 169/7. The innings proved to be match-winning as RR fell 25 runs short of the target.

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#5 Venkatesh Iyer (55 off 41; IPL 2021 Qualifier 2; Sharjah Cricket Stadium)

KKR and DC were involved in a low-scoring thriller in Qualifier 2 of the 2021 IPL in Sharjah. KKR were looking to progress into the finals after a remarkable turnaround in the second half of the competition.

Venkatesh Iyer was arguably the find of the season for KKR in 2014, and much like in the run-in, he came to the side's rescue in the knockout fixture as well. Chasing 136 for a spot in the final, Venkatesh Iyer scored a half-century on a difficult surface, where the majority of the batters struggled to have a say.

Iyer departed in the 13th over after setting a comfortable platform since KKR were almost close to the 100-run mark. However, his dismissal triggered a collapse and the side almost made a meal of it. DC came close after picking up six wickets in the space of three overs, but Rahul Tripathi sealed things to confirm KKR's place in the final.