Karachi Kings’ captain, David Warner, has expressed disappointment following his team’s defeat to Quetta Gladiators in a match that seemed within their grasp. Chasing a target of 143, the Kings were comfortably positioned at 77 for 1 by the ninth over but suffered a dramatic collapse, ending at 115 for 8 in the eighteenth. Opener Tim Seifert gave them a strong start with an impressive 47 off 26 balls, but his dismissal in the twelfth over to Mohammad Wasim marked the beginning of their decline.
The lack of aggression was particularly frustrating for Warner. “Tonight just wasn’t good enough,” he remarked post-game after the Kings fell short by five runs. “I don’t mind losing if you’re fighting, but handing the opposition the game is just not acceptable. We didn’t take any positive approaches there. When you lose 4 for 11 in 6 or 7 overs [5 for 14 in 4.4 overs], you’re not going to win too many games if you’re not applying pressure. I don’t think they bowled particularly well in that area; I think we just were a little bit complacent and we lost wickets in clumps.”
The Kings, which Warner joined as a marquee signing and captain, have had mixed fortunes so far this season, managing three wins and three losses in their first six matches. Although they are in contention for playoff spots, consistency has eluded them. Their bowling unit has shown flashes of excellence, as demonstrated in their performance at Gaddafi Stadium.
Reflecting on the bowling performance, Warner said, “We will look at the positives with our bowling unit. They’ve been exceptional the last few games and couldn’t be any prouder of the way that they’ve executed, especially in the powerplay. I thought the wicket was fantastic. I don’t think 142 and 137 reflect the wicket at all. I think it’s a 170-180 wicket. To bowl them out for 142 was exceptional.”
Warner urged his team to continue replicating the effective strategies that have brought them success so far. “It’s about assessing what we are doing well,” he noted. “Batting-wise, it’s simple in that we weren’t positive. The last few games when we’ve won, we’ve been very, very positive. Even when we’ve lost, we’ve been positive, so we need to look at where we’re missing the mark a little bit.”
The Karachi Kings have a brief break before they face the Multan Sultans on 1st May. The Sultans are currently struggling at the bottom of the table with just one win out of five matches.
Danyal Rasool is ESPNcricinfo’s Pakistan correspondent. @Danny61000
