Former Australia captain Aaron Finch did not hold back in his assessment of Kolkata Knight Riders’ faltering campaign, stating unequivocally that the franchise has `only themselves to blame` after rain extinguished their final hopes of defending their IPL crown on Saturday.

Burdened by the legacy of past triumphs and facing a recalibrated team hierarchy, the Knight Riders struggled to find their rhythm throughout the season. Their performances lacked fluency, occasional, patchy wins were overshadowed by extended losing streaks that pushed them into precarious, must-win scenarios late in the tournament.