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We were some 20 runs short, says Kumble

Last Updated 31 March 2010, 16:09 IST

“We had the momentum until the 13th or the 14th over, but then we lost it a little bit,” the Royal Challengers skipper said, referring to Jacques Kallis’ inability to force the pace at a crucial stage of the game. “We were some 20 runs short, and that made it a little hard for us.”

Kumble pointed out that with four wins from seven matches, the Challengers were still handily placed to make a run for the semifinals. “There still are seven matches to go. Four out of seven is not a bad start. Yes, we lost a bit of momentum in the batting period and there were no early wickets. But Vijay batted really well, and you must give credit to the Super Kings.”

This was the Challengers’ second straight loss, but the ace leggie refused to read too much into it. “We had plenty of losses at the start last year as well but we changed that. We have two games in the next three days, and hopefully they will go our way.”

Murali Vijay, the man of the match for his breathtaking 39-ball 78, admitted that he had probably erred in not seeing his team home. “It’s something I will work on,” said the right-handed opener. “I am really happy that my contribution helped the team win. I enjoyed batting out there today in front of my home crowd.”

This was the Super Kings’ first win in five matches in the competition. “This match really mattered to us as a team,” Vijay said, stating the obvious. “Everyone was pumped up.
From now on, we will take every match as it comes. Our next match is against the Rajasthan Royals on Saturday, and we will concentrate on what we can get out of that game.”

Asked if he had fired a shot for the ‘local’ boys, Vijay replied, “I have proved a few things to myself. Getting runs in Twenty20 cricket under pressure is really difficult. This format is very intense and it tests you physically and mentally. I really enjoyed this knock, but what makes it even more special is that it helped the team register a victory and keep us in the hunt for a semifinal berth.”

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(Published 31 March 2010, 16:09 IST)

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