‘Poor shots cost Mumbai dear against Pune’

“We did not bat as well as we should have. It was a tough game for us. Mumbai wicket is probably the best to bat on. Poor shot selection made us where we landed. We just need to work on our game a bit more,” said the experienced bowler at his post-match conference. 

Mumbai were in deep trouble at 68 for 7, having lost their top four batsmen inside five overs for 30 runs, before the feisty Harbhajan counter-punched to make an unbeaten 30-ball 45 and lead the score to 121 for 8. Pune easily chased down the target of 122, riding on opener Ajinkya Rahane’s classy 42-ball unbeaten 66.

“Sometimes we think there’s hardly any time in the middle. But we need to take more time, I feel, as a batting unit,” added Harbhajan, who was the lone bright spot in an otherwise dismal opening display by MI. 

“Even as a bowling unit we need to come out with a better plan and execute it. There was nothing wrong with the wicket. It’s a great cricketing wicket and probably a top wicket. We did not play well and that’s why we are sitting not happy. Hopefully we will pull up our socks and play better cricket in future,” he added. 

The off-spinner, who took 1 for 24, defended his captain Rohit Sharma’s decision to bat first.

“It was Rohit’s decision to bat first. I go by it. As a team member we need to back his decision and go with whatever he feels is right. May be it was about less pressure on batsmen while batting first. Lots of teams like to chase here,” he added.