TNPL 2018: Was an off day for us, says Abhishek

Panthers all-rounder Abhishek Tanwar opined his side failed to get going from the start and stated that the dampness in the pitch only made it difficult for it to put a decent total on the board. “The wicket was damp and so it was very hard to score runs. In the powerplay, we lost three wickets. We lost the rhythm from the beginning of the game,” said Abhishek during the post-match press conference. 

The Madurai franchise lost two wickets courtesy run-outs, adding more misery. Talking about the poor running by some of its batsmen, he added, “I think miscommunication is a big reason for that. Taking singles was a good option in such a damp surface.” 

Asked if 103 which Panthers posted was a fighting total on the wicket, he said, “When we batted, the wicket was very damp. We thought 120 would be a defendable total. During the second innings, we bowled with intent even though the target was only 104.” 

Opener Arun Karthik has been in sizzling form this season, scoring 307 runs at an average of over 60. But, Abhishek felt Madurai was not too dependent on its former skipper. “I think in the second or third match when he got out early, we chased down a big target. So, it’s not that we are dependent on him. It was one of those days when things didn’t go well for us,” he concluded.