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Will it be ‘Korbo Lorbo Jeetbo’ for KKR again this IPL?

All eyes are on the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) as they play their first match in IPL 2020 against the Mumbai Indians (MI), who are looking at a win at all costs after losing out to the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in their opening match. The flamboyant ones – and why not, after all none other than Shah Rukh Khan owns the team – KKR has seen two IPL cup glories and is hungering for yet another IPL trophy in its kitty.

So far, the 13th edition of the Indian Premier League has got off to a great start, with surprising twists and turns in every match – yesterday’s (September 22, 2020) match is a case in point as Rajasthan Royals (RR) registered a win over CSK, making it their 2nd biggest win against the #Yellove team. RR also defended a score against CSK for the first time in 10 years.

If we dial back time to the first IPL, arguably Kolkata Night Riders were the most exciting team to look out for. Shah Rukh Khan showcased his marketing genius while promoting the team. With the iconic anthem, "Korbo Lorbo Jeetbo" and the first team to promote merchandise, KKR were definitely an exciting proposition for IPL fans.

This proposition strengthened after KKR's Brendon McCullum scored the first ever IPL century in the first IPL match back in 2008. This century didn't only put the team on the map but also made IPL an exciting platform to watch some nail biting cricket.

If we dial back in time to the first edition of IPL, arguably Kolkata Knight Riders were the most exciting team to look out for. Shah Rukh Khan showcased his marketing genius while promoting the team. With the iconic war cry – ‘Korbo Lorbo Jeetbo’ – and the first team to promote its merchandise, KKR were definitely an exciting proposition for IPL fans.

This proposition strengthened after KKR’s Brendon McCullum scored the first ever IPL century in the first IPL match back in 2008. This century didn’t just put the team on the map, but also made IPL an exciting platform to watch some nail biting cricket.

However, KKR didn’t live up to the humongous expectations of fans on the pitch because of very average results. The team finished in the bottom half of the table in the first three years of the tournament before finally making it to the playoffs in 2011. The team achieved glory when it lifted the IPL trophy, not once but twice – in 2012 and 2014, with wins over CSK and Kings XI Punjab, respectively.

  • In the first season of IPL, even after losing the tournament, the team was the most profitable
  • The team was valued at $86 million, which is way higher valuation than any other IPL team
  • They won 11 consecutive matches in the 2014-2015 campaign. This marked the longest winning streak by any IPL team
  • They hold the record for the largest victory margin by defeating Royal Challengers Bangalore by 140 runs in their very first match of IPL in the first season
  • The team initially wore a black and gold jersey, which was later changed to Purple and Gold and was designed by Manish Malhotra

For the 2020 season, KKR has managed to gain some interesting brands on board as their sponsors. With MPL as the team’s principle sponsor, they have also signed deals with Jio, Lux Cozi, TV9 Bharatvarsh, Greenply, Colgate, Astral Pipes and Royal Stag. They also have merchandise partnerships with Souled Store, Boat and Fanhood.

In terms of fan engagement, while KKR have put up several player posts and nostalgic posts to inculcate the IPL spirit in fans this season, they've also kept competitions and highlighted #ToofaniFanStories to keep in touch with fans.

 

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#ToofaniFanStories "I have fond memories of being taught the art of cricket as a child by my grandfather. We played in local fields and I had the pleasure of making runs whilst the ball was being found in long grass as I hit it for a six! Discovering later in life, a love of Bollywood movies and the King of Bollywood, Shah Rukh Khan, I fell deeper in love with the sport when I heard that SRK had bought a team. Kolkata Knight Riders sounded like just the right kind of name for a team! I have to confess that it was SRK that drew my interest to begin with but I soon found that I was enjoying the game and began following the progress of the team members. Having already established myself as an artist of Shah Rukh Khan drawings & paintings at this point in time, I decided to try my hand at drawing the players of KKR. One of my first was Shakib Al Hassan, which caused a sensation online when I shared it. As I progressed, I started creating more drawings and I noticed that every time I drew a team member, KKR would win the match. But if I didn’t draw one, they would lose the game. This made me slightly superstitious and I then felt that if I didn’t make a drawing for each game, it might bring bad luck. Drawing the players became as much of an obsession as drawing SRK, but I grew to know and love the players and the game more as a result. Now, I get as excited watching the matches as any KKR fanatic! I love watching the progress of the young players like Shubman and Mavi. Unfortunately, only from the TV in my living room. One day, I hope to come to India and watch some matches live at the iconic Eden Gardens! When the coronavirus allows me to!" - Linda Perdiger from Stockton-on-Tees, United Kingdom We're feeling the love from all corners of the globe! Share your Toofani Stories with us at social@kkr.in, and stand a chance to get featured on our page! #TuFanNahiToofanHai #KKR

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#ToofaniFanStories "It's not just a team for me, it's an emotion and passion for the City of Joy. This jersey is my PRIDE. Kolkata to me is the most passionate city in india and the people of Kolkata love their cricket! And when it comes to KKR, it's beyond any words. As I was a little kid I watched the first match in my hostel by hiding behind a door. Brendon McCullum's 158* and Sourav Ganguly facing the 1st ball of the IPL is still in my mind. From then till now, through the ups and downs, I have always been a die hard supporter. It's easy to support a side when winning but true fans are those who stay by their teams during struggle! I can still remember the day we won in 2012, I cried for 2 hours with happiness and continued till the day the players and SRK came to Eden Gardens with the cup to celebrate with us fans. And when we won again in 2014, my joy was second to none! Players like the Magical Sunil Narine, Dinesh Karthik, Gill, Nitish Rana and my favourite Andre Russell, give so much joy to the fans, I can't explain in words. They always put a smile on our faces. My love affair with Eden Gardens and KKR will remain till my last breath no matter what. We will miss supporting the boys from the Eden's stands this year but your loyal fans are always behind to support you from home this year. Bring the trophy back home, love you all and best of luck to the players of our very own KKR!" - Proteek Sen Share your Toofani Stories with us at social@kkr.in and stand a chance to get featured on our page! #TuFanNahiToofanHai #KKR #Dream11IPL

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KKR has some strong competition this season and getting back to winnings ways won't be as easy for the team. They begin their campaign against defending champions Mumbai Indians and win there  definitely send out a positive message for the fans. However, it's easier said than done!

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