Punjab Kings’ lost in the first qualifier as Royal Challengers Bengaluru dismantled their batting unit. Almost all through the season, PBKS batted aggressively and made their way to a first playoffs appearance since 2014. But things were not the same against RCB. However, even after getting bowled out for 101, PBKS bowling coach James Hopes hopes to face RCB in the final as well.
“We played the first over okay with the bat and then it sort of just snowballed from there. It’s necessary that we digest it and move on from it by the end of tonight because we have to travel tomorrow [Friday] and we’ve got to get up to play another game on Sunday and we’re going to do it the hard way now. But I hope we meet RCB again on Tuesday night [in the final],” Hopes said after an early finish on Thursday.
“The worst thing our batters can do now is blink and start jumping at shadows and second-guessing themselves,” he strongly added. “To be honest we didn’t have a great night with the bat but we have a two-day turnaround now to play another final, to earn the right. We’ve worked for two and a bit months to earn the right to have a second chance and we’re going to cash that second chance in hopefully.”
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“Historically, it [Ahmedabad] is a very good pitch and we know we’re going to have to go quite hard and score quite quickly. It’s not back to the drawing board by any means. We’ve worked two and a half months to get into a position where we get a second opportunity and we’re going to have to use that second opportunity now,” Hopes again said.
“I made the comment that if I saw Bhuvi’s first over, I would have given Josh the second over and seeing the ball just nipping around a little bit… They’re two world-class bowlers in those kinds of conditions. Our batters were a little bit reckless, but they have counter-attacked the whole year and it’s worked the majority of the time. It didn’t work tonight,” James Hopes concluded.
However, PBKS will face the winner of the Eliminator between Gujarat Titans and Mumbai Indians, on Sunday and if they win, they will play the final against RCB as well.
