IPL 2021 | Our Batting Has Let Us Down: Punjab Kings Skipper KL Rahul After Defeat Against Royal Challengers Bangalore

KL Rahul said his team missed a hitter in the middle order who could have scored quick runs for them.

Sharjah: Punjab Kings skipper KL Rahul was critical of his team’s batting performance after the 6-run defeat against Royal Challengers Bangalore. Punjab Kings once again throw away the match from a comfortable situation as the middle-order once again failed to put up a show.

Rahul admitted that batting has let Punjab Kings down and also opens up on his approach as a batsman being a captain.

“If I have to be honest, our batting has let us down. I’ll be lying if I say it doesn’t play on my mind that I play a role that the team demands. It’s not something that I enjoy, but when you lead the team, you have to accept the responsibility. In T20, the top two or three do score a bulk of the runs.

Rahul said his team missed a hitter in the middle order who could have scored quick runs for them.

“You won’t have people in the middle order scoring 500-600 runs. But we have missed someone in the middle who scores those 30-40 quick runs. Shahrukh Khan and some of the other Indian young guys have been going well,” a dejected looking Rahul said after the match.

Chasing 165, Rahul and Mayank Agarwal added 91 runs for the opening stand, until Shahbaz Ahmed dismissed the former. PBKS then kept losing wickets and fell short of the target.

Rahul scored 39 runs and reclaimed the orange cap but after receiving the cap the Punjab skipper said he would have been happier if the team had qualified for the play-off.

“I wouldn’t say I haven’t enjoyed wearing it (the Orange Cap) but I would have been happier if we had qualified. It was a score that was par. Maybe 10-15 runs extra. When a guy like Maxwell comes in with that sort of form, it makes it difficult,” he added.