Self-belief the only way out for down and out Kings XI Punjab

This time last year, Kings XI Punjab were the team to beat. Stuffing their top order with the best hitters, they had perfected the art of batting out the opposition. Little did they know that the tactic would fall flat within a year.

This time last year, Kings XI Punjab were the team to beat. Stuffing their top order with the best hitters, they had perfected the art of batting out the opposition. Little did they know that the tactic would fall flat within a year.

In cricket, the law of averages could be a term used to describe the situation Kings XI are in now. A lesser-known term is gambler’s fallacy — a mistaken belief that if something happens more frequently during a period, it’s less likely to happen in future. The operative phrase here is that it’s a ‘mistaken belief’. Maybe, that’s why Kings XI still believe they can spring a surprise.

“We have been quiet so far and are bound to hurt some team in a big way. I expect that to happen sooner rather than later wherein we will hit some team pretty badly,” said KXIP coach Sanjay Bangar.

Anybody following the IPL knows it’s a tall order. Kings XI are the only team to not have any batsman averaging even 30. When it comes to the number of fifties scored, they are again lowest with four. For a batsman-heavy team, confidence can be restored only with big runs. “The last time we played KKR, which was in final, we scored 200 which not many opponents have done against KKR. We are aware of that,” said Bangar.

Against a team which knows how to use home conditions to the optimum, only self belief can bail out Punjab.