IPL 2018: Rajasthan Royals were 15-20 runs short against KKR, says Ajinkya Rahane

Ajinkya Rahane said that Kolkata Knight Riders were clearly the better side against Rajasthan Royals in their Indian Premier League (IPL) 2018 encounter in Jaipur on Wednesday

cricket Updated: Apr 19, 2018 10:39 IST

Ajinkya Rahane walks off the field after his dismissal during Rajasthan Royals’s IPL 2018 match against Kolkata Knight Riders on Wednesday.(PTI)

Rajasthan Royals skipper Ajinkya Rahane said that they fell 15-20 runs short after succumbing to a seven-wicket loss against the Kolkata Knight Riders at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium here on Wednesday. (HIGHLIGHTS)

Asked to bat, the Royals mustered 160/8 in their 20 overs before the Knights chased that down with seven balls to spare. (SCORECARD)

“We were 15-20 runs short but it (the loss) is nothing to do with our bowling. Our bowlers have been bowling really well. In T20s it happens, even if they bowl well sometimes they will go for runs. I will back my bowlers,” Rahane said after the match.

While Rahane scored 36, his opening partner D’Arcy Short made 44. But after those two got out, the middle-order failed to capitalise on the start after the openers put together 54 runs. Also, many players got out to deliveries which kept low as the wicket was slowing down.

READ | IPL 2018: Kolkata Knight Riders ease to seven-wicket win over Rajasthan Royals

“It was a different wicket from the first game. Against Delhi Daredevils (on April 11) the wicket had good bounce but it was hard to get elevation on tonight’s wicket. The ball was slow and keeping low,” said the 29-year-old, who also hit five boundaries and a six in the 19-ball knock.

“But no excuses, we are professional cricketers, we know how to bat in these conditions. It was my responsibility to take that innings forward because I was batting really well. If I would have batted till the 15th over then it would have been different.”

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The home team only managed to get nine runs off the first three overs following which they started to accelerate. But the right-hander said that ‘T20 is all about one or two big overs’.

“When me and D’Arcy were batting, we thought we will target 45-50 in the first six overs and we got there. We were 48/0 despite being 9/0 after three overs. It is all about believing in your ability, in your partner and our discussion was to just back our game and get 50 runs in first six overs and if we are there then we just carry on.”