IPL 2017: 5 reasons why Kings XI Punjab could not make it to the playoffs
Kings XI Punjab missed out on a playoff spot after they lost to Rising Pune Supergiant in a do-or-die encounter.
The Glenn Maxwell-led unit played some fearless cricket to win back-to-back games and needed another win against Pune to proceed to the playoffs. However, the overly aggressive strategy that had yielded rich dividends in the game against Mumbai at the Wankhede Stadium backfired on a slower track as Punjab plummeted to 73 all out. Virender Sehwag lambasted the skipper, Maxwell, and other overseas players after the match, accusing them of playing irresponsibly in the must win game.
The Punjab think-tank could not marry consistency with flamboyancy and despite looking like the team to beat on several occasions during the league phase, they fell short at the final hurdle. Here we take a look at five things that backfired for the Punjab franchise that led to their ousting before the playoffs.
#5 Hashim Amla's departure
The veteran South African batsman was Kings XI's anchor right through the season. With 420 runs in 10 games, Amla dominated the bowlers and shielded the Punjab lower order. His dynamic batsmanship was the prime reason for Punjab's success in the early stages of the tournament.
Unfortunately for Kings XI, Amla had to head back to South Africa and Punjab were left without someone to bat around. They had a slew of power hitters but needed someone to stay and play the role of a sheet anchor. Amla's absence was also rued by Sehwag in the post-match press conference in which he criticised the other foreign players for not standing up and taking responsibility.