We lost too many wickets up front: Harbhajan

Mumbai Indians skipper Harbhajan Singh on Friday blamed his batsmen for messing up what looked to be a comfortable run-chase against Pune Warriors in an Indian Premier League match.

Chasing a modest 129 for nine, Mumbai witnessed a disastrous start and were eventually restricted to 101 for nine, thereby losing the encounter by 28 runs at a Wankhede Stadium pitch that offered a lot of turn.

"We bowled very well to restrict them to 129. But we lost too many wickets up front (3 wickets for 5 runs) and from then played catch-up. It was a total that should have been chased whatever be the nature of the wicket," said Harbhajan at the post-match media conference.

"We did not start well in the run chase. But we did well in the second half when Dinesh Kartik and James Franklin put on that partnership. It was a game that we should have won," rued Harbhajan.

Asked about the absence of senior batsman Sachin Tendulkar because of the finger injury he sustained in the opening game against title holders Chennai Super Kings, Harbhajan said while the team did miss the master batsman's presence, it was time the others learnt to take up more responsibility.