Chandigarh (Punjab) [India], April 16 (ANI): The Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), defending champions of the Indian Premier League (IPL), suffered a narrow 16-run loss in a low-scoring thriller against Punjab Kings, here at the Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium on Tuesday. Harshit Rana's three-fer, alongside braces from Sunil Narine and Varun Chakaravarthy, went in vain as the hosts defending the target in an engaging contest.

Reflecting on the match, KKR captain Ajinkya Rahane said in the post-match press conference as quoted by KKR press release, 'The wicket was a good one, even though the ball was stopping a bit. Our bowlers bundled them out for 111 and did half the job. Chasing 112 on this wicket was comparatively easy, especially after the start we got. It wasn't like Punjab Kings bowled exceptionally, we just didn't bat as well.'

The captain also highlighted the learnings from the game, backing his team to respond going into their next match. 'We're halfway through the tournament, and there are seven matches to go in the league stage. It's always about coming back with good intent, while still looking to learn and improve as a batter and take it on in the next game.'

Halfway through their league stage matches, Kolkata Knight Riders have bagged three wins in the tournament so far. However, Rahane insisted that the batting unit have to learn to grind out results in certain situations.

'It's not about hitting sixes every time and getting that net run rate up. It wasn't a belter or a flat wicket, there was something for the bowlers. So, we had to grind it out. Even though sometimes you have to play a maiden over in T20 cricket or play at a strike rate of 70-80, it's okay. But you have to grind it out. T20 cricket is not only about hitting sixes, even though we're seeing most players trying to look for the big shots. It's not about that, it's about reading the situation and having the game awareness as a batter and then take the game forward. That's what we lacked today', he said as quoted by the press release.

With seven matches remaining in the league stage for KKR, the captain is confident that there is no room for complacency in this experienced setup. 'All the players are confident and experienced enough to handle any situation. I wouldn't say we were complacent or are taking things for granted. I don't think we're doing that. We didn't bat well and didn't have the awareness to play according to what the situation demanded, but we learn from it', he concluded. (ANI)