Sharjah, Sep 25 : Punjab Kings assistant coach Andy Flower believes there is still a lot to play for his team ahead of their second match of the UAE leg of IPL 2021 in Sharjah on Saturday.Flower was of the opinion that Punjab should have finished the chase early against Rajasthan Royals in Dubai instead of taking till the last over.With four needed to win in final over, Punjab sensationally choked to lose the match by two runs.
“I can tell you the team was extremely disappointed with the result.Not so much with how we played for the large sways of the game.But with the last couple of overs, we knew we should have finished it early.
The boys know that, but life in cricket sometimes punches you straight on the nose.We know our supporters won’t have enjoyed watching the end of that.
I hope they loved seeing other aspects of the game.I hope they are still behind the Punjab Kings.I think they should be.This bunch of guys is working hard at delivering results and there’s still so much to play for.We are very excited about coming back hard in the next game,” said Flower in a video released by the franchise on Saturday.
“So, a stand of 120 should win you the game and we should have won that game.We all know that.It was heart-breaking at the end.It was heart-breaking to make the same mistake that we have made before.There’s no getting away from the reality of that and there’s no getting away from the reality of where we are in the table now,” added Flower.
Up next against Punjab is bottom-placed Sunrisers Hyderabad in Sharjah on Saturday.Flower is aware that the task is cut out for his team against the 2016 IPL champions.“We have got a real, real tough task now to qualify and that is our first goal.To do that we have to take our next game against the Sunrisers.
This game in Sharjah on a newly laid pitch, I think.It would be interesting to see how the conditions in Sharjah will change.
We are not sure how the new pitch will play.So, everything to play for us.Tougher task ahead,” signed off Flower
.
