Kolkata Knight Riders batters were not complacent; they didn’t bat well and lacked game awareness, the team captain Ajinkya Rahane said after a 16-run loss against Punjab Kings at Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium here on Tuesday.
Chasing a modest total of 112, the Knight Riders were cruising at two for 62 when Rahane got out in the eighth over and collapsed to get bowled out for 95 in 15.1 overs.
“It’s a collective failure of the batting unit. It’s not only about hitting sixes and fours; strike rotation is very important, and that didn’t happen from our side. It’s not like they bowled very well; we played very bad shots. I take the responsibility as a captain that we couldn’t chase this,” Rahane said after the loss.
Rahane was struck in front against Yuzvendra Chahal and was given out. However, replays showed that the impact was outside off; hence, it would not have been out had he reviewed. On his decision not to take the DRS, he said: “Communication between the batters wasn’t clear. If someone tells you clearly that the impact could be outside, then, as a batter, you take the review. Generally, whoever is the non-striker, whatever they say, you think along those lines. So the communication wasn’t clear, that maybe it’s the umpire’s call or maybe hitting.”
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111 is now the lowest total ever defended in IPL history. But did the Punjab Kings believe it could defend it at the halfway mark?
“We were never short of confidence. We knew our bowlers were capable of doing well here. And the way Yuzvendra Chahal, Arshdeep, Marco Jansen, and Bartlett performed was commendable. So, all credit goes to the bowlers. They snatched the game away from KKR,” Nehal Wadhera said.
Wadhera said that coach Ricky Ponting didn’t say anything negative after the team’s collapse in the first innings and wanted the bowlers to win the game.
“Even when we got out for 111, he said, ‘Today the bowlers need to get the job done. I need some fiery spells today.’ I think when players hear such words from the coaches, their confidence automatically boosts. It showed up in the field. It’s all because of his pep talks,” the 24-year-old said, further adding that Shreyas Iyer was one of the finest captains he has played under.