Comprehensively beaten on their home turf by Kolkata Knight Riders, a disappointed Kings XI Punjab captain Adam Gilchrist said his team failed as a batting unit.
"It was a combination of some poor batting (by us) and very good bowling by KKR. We have been inconsistent. We got off to a decent start, probably one of the better we have had in five games, but that was cut short when I came off (retired hurt). We haven't put together a comprehensive batting display at all. There is no doubt about that," 40-year-old Aussie told reporters after the match last night.
Batting first after winning the toss, Kings XI could manage only 124/7 in their allotted 20 overs. Losing opener Paul Valthaty early, Gilchrist tried to maintain pace by hitting some quick runs but pulled a hamstring and was retired hurt. Punjab's middle-order tumbled without any significant contribution and only one six for his side was hit by Gilchrist in the final over when he returned at the end of 17th over.
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Adam Gilchrist. Photo: AFP
He also top-scored, remaining unbeaten on 40, his best score so far in the tournament. Asked how serious was his injury,
"I will sit with the physio and find out, whether I will need a scan or not. When I was out there (off the field), it didn't get any worse." Punjab started their IPL-5 campaign losing two games before winning their third game against Pune Warriors here last week and then going on to beat KKR at Kolkata and going down to them here yesterday.
"We've got to play better than what we have, as a general rule. We have to play better cricket. We are not far off the post ad we obviously feel we can improve," he said.
Punjab batsman Shaun Marsh (33) was controversially dismissed when he edged a Brett Lee delivery with wicketkeeper Manvinder Bisla nodding that he had taken the catch and on-field umpire ruling him out even though TV replays suggested there was a doubt.
Asked what he felt about the catch, Gilchrist said, "on replays, I am not convinced with that. I thought there was a huge element of doubt there".
"Shaun asked the wicketkeeper, which I must say, is fairly the way how I opt to play the game. He asked the wicketkeeper he said yes he caught it, so he walked off".
Gilchrist, who is also the coach and wicketkeeper of the Punjab team and a veteran of 96 Tests and 287 ODIs, said he accepts the umpire's decision.
"We accept that decision. We all get bad decisions and we have to get on with that. We have seen already a controversy in this tournament on something like that happen, which was not a pretty incident," he said.
Asked about team co-owner Preity Zinta who was upset with the umpire's decision when the incident occurred in the 14th over, Gilchrist said from the sidelines he had only told her that he would handle it.
"From the sidelines, I just said, please let me just handle this and she responded. She just went straight back and sat down. She is a passionate supporter, a team co-owner and a fan of this game. I do not know what she was going to say to me when I told her that I will handle this after which she respected that and sat down," he said.
Meanwhile, KKR's medium pacer Rajat Bhatia, who ended up with figures of 4-0-23-1, said it was a challenge to bowl on a track that did not have much for the bowlers.
"Consistency always matters and that's what (captain) Gautam (Gambhir) told us before the match. The more consistent you are, the more your chances of being on top of the table, that's what he told us, and that is actually helping us," he said.
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