Mumbai, Apr 10 : Kings XI skipper Adam Gilchrist conceded after his team's resounding seven-wicket loss in their Indian Premier League lung-opener against Pune Warriors India that his side was playing catch-up cricket right through the match at the D Y Patil Stadium here tonight.
“It was difficult to make a comeback from nine for four. We were playing catch-up right from the beginning. All credit to Ryan McLaren for giving us some chance to come back. Had we taken our chances they could have been five for 70 and we could have tried for a win from there,” said the former Australian stumper after the match.
The Punjab outfit was restricted to 112 for eight, Mclaren's unbeaten 51 being its cornerstone, to which the Yuvraj Singh-led Pune team replied with 113 for three in 13.1 overs.
Gilchrist was referring to the dropped catches by his team that reprieved both Robin Uthappa (22 not out in 14 balls) and Yuvraj (21 not out in 15 balls) early in their unbeaten knocks.
Handed lives early on, the duo stitch together unbeaten 45 runs for the fourth wicket to see Pune home.
Gilchrist praised the wicket prepared for the tie and said it was a good track which had something in it for the bowlers.
“The wicket was good, the ball came on to the bat and there was something for the new ball bowlers. Yuvi told me during the presentation ceremony it was a good toss to lose as he did not know what to do (whether to bat first or not),” said the retired Australian cricketer.
Gilchrist won the toss and his team plunged headlong into trouble with their top four batsmen, including he himself, dismissed within the first four overs.
The wicket-keeper batsman, who said his team is yet to settle down, felt a total of 140 would have been a challenging target for Pune to chase down.
“McLaren batted very well and paced his innings beautifully. He did what the guys in the top six could not do. Had we got 140 it would have been a bigger challenge as there was something for the faster bowlers. And then Abhishek Nayar created three chances which were put down,” Gilchrist remarked.
“We did not play anywhere near our best. We have a youngish group and need to settle down,” he added.Kings XI's next outing is against defending champions Chennai Super Kings at home in Mohali. PTI
