Kings XI Punjab has lost five of its eight games so far but top-order batsman Shaun Marsh feels that the team can still pull itself back into the title race of the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL).
The 33-year-old Australian’s solid knock of 84 against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) here on Saturday went in vain as KXIP lost by 26 runs while chasing a target of 208.
The inconsistent Punjab, who is yet to win the IPL trophy, was let down by its bowling and batting units and only Marsh’s performance stood out.
“Full credit goes to the Sunrisers. They played well and outplayed us in all three facets of the game. We were not on tonight,” Marsh told reporters after the match.
Marsh justified asking Hyderabad to bat first, saying it was a fair decision as his side is good at chasing even big totals.
“We have chased really well in this tournament. But we didn’t get off to the start we were hoping for and lost three quick wickets inside six overs,” he said.
However, confident of putting up a good show in the upcoming matches, Marsh said there can be a quick turnaround.
“We can pull ourselves back in the race and keep our hopes alive for the playoffs...The guys are training hard and we can get on a bit of a roll from Sunday (against Delhi Daredevils),” he said.
In all, Punjab will play three more games in Mohali, including against Gujarat Lions, whom it defeated once this season and table-toppers Kolkata Knight Riders.
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