Kings XI Punjab star opener Hashim Amla said it was disappointing to be in the position the team is in but the Kings are keen to make the best of the the given situation when they take on Rising Pune Supergiants.
In his pre-match interaction, Amla said no team wanted to be last in the lot and every team plays with great amount of pride and passion. “We are keen to win the last game at least to leave on a happier note,” he said.
Reflecting on the last game against Royal Challengers Bangalore, Amla said chasing 200-plus in 15 overs was a difficult task for any team.
Looking at the evolution of Virat Kohli and A.B. de Villiers, the South African opener felt that T20 format gives scope for different types of players who succeed if they stick to the gameplan.
“On his own challenges in switching over to different formats, Amla revealed that he takes a day or two to mentally adjust to the required format. “You tend to adapt to it a lot quicker than may be in the past,” he said.
Pune outfit bowling coach Eric Simmons felt the team should have won one or two games where it defended. “But, overall, it has been a growth curve and that is the one positive, particularly the last game. Very, very pleased with the way wickets fell,” he said.
Questioned whether leggie Adam Zampa should have been played earlier, Simmons said it was easy to say so in hindsight.
“He is taking wickets in the middle overs, takes the sting out of the back end of the innings, that is important. But it is always about getting the balance right, and there have been some great cricketers sitting on the bench for a while,” he explained.
On R. Ashwin’s lean spell, Simmons said that the star bowler himself was frustrated and disappointed that he has not got more wickets.
“But, sometimes, you have to play a role within your team and sometimes, somebody runs up and bowls a tight line, restricting the opposition and giving somebody else wickets. It is very much about operating as a unit rather than as an individual,” he said.
