Ahmedabad: Head coach Ricky Ponting conceded that Punjab Kings lacked little bit of experience in the middle order while batting second in a high-intensity IPL final against Royal Challengers Bengaluru but backed the team’s young players to come good in future.
PBKS’ impressive run in the IPL came to an end with a six-run defeat to RCB in the final, with the latter ending their 18-year long wait to win the IPL trophy here on Tuesday.
Chasing 191, PBKS kept losing wickets in their chase and despite Shashank Singh’s (30-ball 61 not out) late onslaught, which included three fours and six sixes, they fell short.
“You can look at it (the team) tonight and say was it probably a little bit of inexperience that cost us. Maybe, a little bit of experience in that middle order today might have helped us out,” Ponting told the media after the match.
“But what I know is that they’re going to win us a lot of games going forward.”
While the wicket here at the Narendra Modi Stadium remained conducive for batting, it was a little bit slower in certain phases of the game.
Ponting, however, refused to give any “excuse”.