KOHLI BLAMES BATSMEN FOR WI LOSS ‘DIDN’T START WELL WITH THE BALL, DIDN’T FIELD WELL EITHER’
KINGSTON: India skipper Virat Kohli laid the blame on poor fielding and his batsmen falling short by 20-30 runs after West Indies thrashed India by nine wickets in the one-off T20 International at the Sabina Park on Sunday. “We could have added 25-30 runs extra. We were on course for 230. In the field, we dropped a few chances and if you don’t grab them, you don’t deserve them,” said Kohli after the match. The skipper said the failure to have someone bat through and make 80 or 90 hurt them a lot. “If you have a good start up the order, one batsman has to bat through. I think Dinesh (Karthik) was good, but we needed someone to get 80-90 which a team needs in T20 cricket. Then, we didn’t start well with the ball and didn’t field well either.” India fielders dropped centurion Evin Lewis twice, once by Mohammed Shami and later Karthik as the left-handed batsman led the hosts to a ninewicket win.
Kohli, however, said the India team is in an experimental stage and through matches like these the players are learning to deal with various situations in T20 cricket.
“West Indies have a good T20 team, they have carried on with the same team for a couple of years. We are in an experimental stage and have had our ups and downs. But we need to keep going. T20 cricket is anyone’s game, and one game doesn’t make a series.”
Dinesh (Karthik) was good, but we needed someone to get 8090, which a team needs in T20. We didn’t start well with the ball and didn’t field well either VIRAT KOHLI, On the loss in T20I