Sammy not happy with Zalmi’s batting against Kings

By our correspondent
LAHORE: Peshawar Zalmi head coach Daren Sammy was not happy with the way his batsmen batted against Karachi Kings and stressed they will need to be more responsible as a batting group.
“I don’t think we are short in batting. We did not bat well today,” Sammy told a post-match news conference.
“It’s good Babar continues to do what he has been doing. Congratulations to Babar for achieving the fastest 10,000 T20 runs milestone. We just have to be more responsible as a batting group,” said Sammy, a former West Indies skipper.
Peshawar Zalmi lost their second successive match of the HBL PSL 9 when they were downed by Karachi Kings by a convincing seven wickets margin here at the Gaddafi Stadium on Wednesday.
Peshawar Zalmi posted 154 thanks to Babar Azam’s fine knock of 72. Karachi Kings chased the target with 19 balls to spare after losing three wickets in the process.
“Normally on good pitches you need better bowling. During the last two years PSL has been high-scoring league in terms of runs. So it says that the pitches here are normally good for batsmen. If you get six specialist batters and then all-rounder coming in and it really what we want,” said Sammy when asked about his team’s batting depth.
Sammy said that 175 to 180 would have been par score on this track.
“You know if you lose three wickets in the powerplay you lose 60 percent. At half way stage they had 80 when a partnership was built between Babar and Rovman Powell and we got ourselves to a very good position on that surface,” he said.
“Having said that over the last two games watching our batting, overs number 11 to 15, on both time, we got 38 runs while the oppositions scored 56 in that period,” Sammy pointed out.
“Such little moments of the game could affect the entire situation. For us one of my big things in the dressing room has been a way of the game situation and taking decisions that affect us in a positive way and today we did not do that,” he said.
“I have been in this franchise for the last nine years. It’s not how you start but it’s how you finish. People say we have been the most consistent team. I mean we still fight to find the right combination, moving forward and we need to win five or six games to get to the playoffs,” Sammy said.
He hoped that his charges will stage a fightback.
“You know we would not let these first two games. It determines how our season goes. I have full confidence in the guys in the dressing room. We have to play eight matches. On coming 17 hopefully you will be talking to me after the match,” he said.
Asked what he thinks Zalmi’s middle order needs to be reshuffled Sammy said: “Look, you got experienced Babar, Saim and I think in the last PSL they were the best openers. Again in the first game they started very well. In the powerplay we have been up there and again Haris has not scored runs and Tom has not scored runs,” he said.
“I am not the coach that presses the panic button. As I said earlier, we have enough resources in the dressing room and at the end of the day what you do on the cricket field so first we will review the first two games and we will come up again. We will put our best combination and I think that will help to get our first victory in the 2024,’ Sammy said.
He said that Shamar Joseph was still recovering.
“With his last conversation I had he did his updated report two days ago and he still has issue. He has taken advice from the doctors and the physio and he needs more time so hopefully for us and for me sooner than latter he will be available,” he said.
He appreciated Babar’s skills as a batsman, adding he is going to make him a better skipper.
“I like Babar. My job is to make him a good captain as he could be,” Sammy said.
“We have developed a very good relationship. Obviously, my experience as a captain will also benefit him but you know he is our captain. No better way than leading the team from the front and he keeps on doing that and inspiring his men and again in first two games I would not let any of those things dampen Zalmi. We lose together and we win together and will make a comeback stronger,” Sammy signed off.