Mullanpur (Punjab) [India], May 29 : Punjab Kings captain Shreyas Iyer didn't let his spirits drown after his side was handed a heartbreak in the Qualifier 1 against Royal Challengers Bengaluru in Mullanpur on Thursday.
It just wasn't a day for Punjab; they lost the toss, were forced to bat, lost their batting order cheaply, and offered nothing to their bowlers to defend.
Bengaluru ran rampant with the ball, then tore through Punjab's attempt to defend the trivial 101-run total to wrap up an 8-wicket triumph with 60 balls to spare, one of the quickest in the history of the cash-rich league.
Shreyas analysed the variable bounce as one factor that troubled Punjab batters throughout the fixture. However, he was quick to remind that it wasn't an excuse that they were looking to hide behind and learn to execute with the bat according to the situation.
"We've got to work on our batting, especially on this wicket. In all the games we have played here, there has been some variable bounce. We can't give such reasons because we are professionals at the end of the day, and we have to bat according to the situation, and we have to live up to it. We have lost the battle but not the war," Shreyas said after the match.
While some try to shrug off the lingering feeling of defeat, Shreyas isn't looking to forget but return and learn from it. The 30-year-old had no doubts about the plans and blueprint they had mapped out for the fixture. In the end, the defining factor came down to execution.
"Not a day to forget, but got to go back to the drawing board. We lost a lot of wickets (in the first innings). There's a lot to go back and study on. I am not doubting on my decisions to be honest. Whatever we did in terms of planning, outside of the ground, or whatever (planning) we did, I think it was on point. Just that we couldn't execute it on the field, can't even blame the bowlers, as it was a low total to defend," he added.
Despite the defeat, it is not all over yet for Punjab. They will head to Ahmedabad for Qualifier 2 against either Mumbai Indians or Gujarat Titans, whoever stands victorious in the Eliminator.