Kings XI Punjab Will Only Get Better in CLT20, Warns George Bailey

Kings XI Punjab captain heaped praise on Glenn Maxwell and Thisara Perera after the five-wicket win against Hobart Hurricanes at Mohali and promised his team will get better in the Champions League T20. (Highlights)

"A terrific innings from Maxy and TP (Perera) there, it takes some courage to come out when your team is in a bit of trouble and go for your shots," said Bailey, who stayed unbeaten alongside Perera (30 runs off 25 balls) to take the past Hurricanes 144 for six in 17.4 overs.

Kings had started the chase badly and were 51 for four in eighth over. Maxwell's innings of 43 changed the game.

Bailey (34 off 27), who plays for Hurricanes in the Big Bash League back home, was as kind to his Australian team as the one he is going to captain in the tournament.

"I think Hobart have a very nice team, they lost but they can challenge," he said of the team which is also playing its first CLT20.

Bailey lauded the effort put by Kings bowlers, especially medium pacer Anureet Singh.

"Anureet Singh didn't get much of a chance in the IPL with a broken thumb, he was outstanding with the ball, that one over at the death. We (Kings XI) slotted back in really quickly, not our best game with the bat but we will get better."

Hurricanes skipper Tim Paine said: "Didn't get off to a good start with the bat... with the ball we gave it a good crack," while praising Perera and Maxwell.

When asked if he found it easier to captain his Big Bash teammates since he knew the opposition so well, Bailey said in a lighter vein, "Yeah, I think so."

He said there were times in the game when he thought some opposition players threatened to take things on, "but credit to our boys that they stuck at it and they executed the plans that we discussed, really well, particularly in the end."

"At one stage I was thinking that 160-165 was on, but they pulled that back without necessarily taking wickets. We have challenged our bowlers to want to be the death bowler to take that on as a challenge and both those guys stood up, which was outstanding," he said.

About the pitch, Bailey said, the Mohali track is a "beautiful batting wicket, absolutely".

He said that there was not much dew and "it certainly felt like the ball was coming on nicely."

When asked if the decision to bowl first had anything to do with the fact that KXIP has emerged as a good chasing side, Bailey opined that such decisions are set by lot of things and pointed out "it doesn't really matter what you do, as long as you do the first one really well, that's what we did."