Kolkata, March 20 (IANS) After slumping to a six wicket defeat against India in the World Twenty 20, Pakistan skipper Shahid Afridi lavished praise on the hosts, saying one could learn from them how to handle pressure.
“These guys are doing very well. They are playing very well under pressure and Indian batsmen are mature. One has to learn from them how to handle the pressure,” Afridi said.
He lauded Man of the Match Virat Kohli for “playing an awesome innings”.
Afridi conceded that his team did not opt for a second spinner as he did not expect the pitch to turn so much.
He also said his team scored 30-35 runs less and the bowlers failed to bowl in the right areas.
“I did not expect the pitch to turn so much, but no excuse. I think we did not score enough runs. We were short by 30-35 runs. Their spinners bowled well. I think we did not bowl in the right areas and I did not bowl well,” he added.
Afridi said had he read the pitch properly, he would have opted for a second spinner.
The Pakistan skipper said his team now needed to concentrate on the coming two group games.
“We are playing Australia and New Zealand next, so we have got to play harder. This game is done, we need to quickly focus on the next game,” Afridi said.
Score on the board helps me calculate better: Kohli
Kolkata, March 20 (IANS) After anchoring India to a six-wicket victory against Pakistan in the World Twenty20 here, Man of the Match Virat Kohli said a score on the board helped him to calculate better and that was the reason for his success in run-chases.
“I think a score on the board always helps me calculate better,” he said after his 33-ball 55-run knock that fashioned India’s win at the Eden Gardens.
Kohli noted it was a challenging wicket. “You need new challenges every innings that you play.”
Kohli said he was disappointed after getting out in the 20s in India’s previous encounter against New Zealand.
“I knew if I had scored 40-45 we could have won. That really hurt because we do not bat like that at home,” he said, adding, “Today it was all about keeping calm and luckily I got a great partnership with Yuvraj.”
Dhoni surprised at spinners getting plenty of help from Eden track
Kolkata, March 20 (IANS) Indian skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni on Saturday expressed surprise over the spinners throughout getting plenty of grip from the Eden Gardens track in the World Twenty20 game against Pakistan.
Dhoni conceded that he had thought the track would spin a bit.
“I thought it will spin a bit. We felt there was a bit of moisture and usually when that is the case the spinners also get a bit of grip.
“But what was surprising was to see throughout the game the spinners got plenty of help off the wicket.. It got slightly better in the second half. But also they (Pakistan) had only one spinner,” he said.
Asked whether it would have been better to have an extra spinner instead of a third seamer. Dhoni said the team management opted for Pandya because of the dew.
“Now The third seamer can give you a bit of help if there is dew around but if I knew that there was so much turn on offer, then I don’t have a problem playing an extra spinner.”