Chris Lynn upset over failure to take team home
We had got very close to the finish. It was a challenge batting in such conditions and it would have been great to have won. We would look at the upcoming games now.
Had Kolkata Knight Riders batsman Chris Lynn not gotten run out against Kings XI Punjab batting on 84 in Mohali on Tuesday night, the result of the IPL 2017 match would have been a different one.
When Kings XI Punjab bowlers were struggling to stop Lynn’s juggernaut, Axar Patel’s throw from the deep in the 18th over did the trick for the hosts and got the KKR opener out. Lynn’s 52-ball knock went in vain as Kings XI Punjab recorded a 14-run win to remain in the hunt for the play-offs.
“It was disappointing to lose the game like that. We had got very close to the finish. It was a challenge batting in such conditions and it would have been great to have won the game. We would like to look at the upcoming games now, take some rest and come back strongly. We would want to win them in order to make to the play-offs,” said Lynn, who has had a great run in IPL 2017 and has amassed 259 runs in four matches at a staggering average of 86.33.
The Australian had hammered a match-winning unbeaten knock of 93 runs against Royal Challengers Bangalore in the previous match.
The opening wicket partnership between Lynn and Sunil Narine has been a revelation. The duo were involved in a 39-run opening wicket stand against Kings XI Punjab.
“We were in control of the match after the powerplay. We collected a lot many runs in the powerplay. But the dot balls between the sixth and the 11th over dented our run-rate. “We could not capitalise in that period and lost our way,” said Lynn, who swatted three sixes and hit eight boundaries.
“We failed to rotate the strike which hampered our progress. “Credit goes to the Kings XI Punjab bowlers too, the way they bowled after the powerplay speaks highly of their talent. Me and Gautam (Gambhir) were cruising along nicely when Rahul Tewatia got him out.”
Known for his exploits in the Big Bash League, Lynn was called up to the Australian team on the back of a strong performance in the T20 Australian league and earned caps in each of the three T20Is against India.