Good win against Punjab, but no opportunity to relax

It was a much needed win for us against the Kings XI Punjab. We didn't get our act together in the last three matches before that, but the effort was never lacking. It was just that we were not clicking.

After three losses, tongues were wagging. We were not so much bothered, because as a unit, we had belief in our ability and needed to transform that into action. I hope peace will prevail for sometime now. Victory does relieve a lot of tensed nerves. But as a team we have no opportunity to relax. We take on Delhi Daredevils in the very next match in their backyard.

Delhi is a formidable team, with the presence of some big names. I would like to repeat what I have stated before, we don't need to get hassled by the opposition. Rather, we need to have a close look at ourselves. What we can do best is more important, it helps one to build on one's strength. So, come Delhi, we will be focusing on the positives we have picked up from our game against the Kings XI.

Right from winning the toss till the finish, everything went as planned in the Mohali encounter. Our opening partnership didn't go the distance but set the tone for us in the match. We lost wickets in between but that didn't act as a hindrance in accumulating runs and inching towards our desired target.

It was indeed pleasing to get to a fifty, after having some 30s under the belt. The Mohali pitch has always been a beauty to bat on and lived up to its reputation on the day. The partnership between Manoj Tiwary and yours truly laid the base for the batters down the order to have a blast. Manoj kept his cool and what a last over he had! I just wish that Manoj doesn't get carried away by this effort and looks for consistency in his future endeavours. His fielding is a plus for the team and the catch he took to dismiss Yuvraj acted as booster for us on the ground. David Hussey's diving effort to dismiss Bisla also deserves a mention. True, catches do win matches. Besides these two catches, we need to up our fielding by a few notches. Every run saved always adds a bit more pressure on the opponent.

Our bowlers seized on the opportunity and with runs on board to defend, they seemed fearless. The likes of Chris Gayle, David Hussey not only bolster the team's batting but also add variety to the bowling. One has to make a special mention about Shane Bond. Against the Kings XI, Shane just showed that once on-song, he is a class act. We had to miss out on Murali Kartik, he had a small niggle in the groin. But Ajit Agarkar, Angelo Mathews, Ashok Dinda and Iqbal Abdulla only got better as the game went on.

We don't want to live in the past and will surely re-organize ourselves before the Delhi match. We are settling down as a team, seems we are also on the path to get our combination right. The Indian players have started to deliver. Chris Gayle and David Hussey are big match players, I am sure they will come to the party soon. If it happens against Delhi Daredevils, it will be just what the doctor ordered.