Indian captain Virat Kohli says that his team wasn’t brave enough with the bat or the ball which led to an eight-wicket defeat against the Kiwis on Sunday.
After a disappointing start to the tournament, fans hoped that the Men in Blue will come with a comeback and defeat Kane Williamson’s New Zealand side at The Dubai International Stadium and increase their chances of making it to the knockout stage.
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But nothing seemed to go in favor of the team starting from the toss. India’s batting lineup collapsed once again as they somehow managed to put up 110 runs on the board. But Kane Williamson’s side chased the total with ease.
Skipper Virat Kohli during the post-match presentation said that his team did not show any character with the bat and ball. Kohli said that India’s lack of courage in the field was the result of this shocking loss.
“To be brutal upfront, I don’t think we were brave enough with bat/ball. We obviously didn’t have much to play with the ball. We were just not brave enough in our body language when we entered the field and NZ had better intensity, body language,” the Indian skipper said.
“Every time we took a chance, we lost a wicket. It’s most often a result of hesitation of whether you should go for a shot or not. When you play for India, there are loads of expectations,” added the Indian skipper.
He said, “We are watched, people come to the stadium and everyone who plays for India needs to embrace that and cope with it. We haven’t done that in these two games, and that’s why we haven’t won. We have to be optimistic and positive and take calculated risks.”
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After two consecutive losses, India’s qualification to the next stage remains uncertain as it is no more in the hands of the Men in Blue. Afghanistan and Pakistan are occupying the first two spots in the six team Group 2. The two teams also have a better run rate in comparison to team India. However, the skipper says there is still a chance of qualifying for the semi-finals.
“We have to disconnect from the pressure and continue with our process, and play a positive brand of cricket. There’s a lot of cricket to play in the tournament,” said Kohli.
India will now take on Afghanistan on November 3, Scotland on November 5 and Namibia on November 8, which will wind up the league stage of the.
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