18 April 2024 last updated at 15:13 GMT
 
Good to start with a win: Ganguly
Friday 06 April 2012

Pune Warriors skipper Sourav Ganguly is happy to have started fifth edition of Indian Premier League with a victory but feels that it's still a long way to go in the tournament.

"It's always good to start with a win but we still have 15 matches to go. It is a long tournament. I have been in situations where we have won the first couple of matches, but then went downhill," Ganguly stated at the post-match presentation ceremony.

Ganguly had said at the toss that he would have batted first had he won the toss and his decision was vindicated.

"It wasn't a bad score (129). I feel Steve (Smith) and Robin Uthappa really batted well."

Mumbai Indians skipper Harbhajan Singh seemed a disappointed man but conceded that Warriors were a better team on Friday.

"Pune played better cricket and were a better side today. We didn't bat well, failed to rotate the strike," the skipper said.

He had words of special praise for Ashok Dinda and Murali Kartik who caused the early damage.

"Dinda brought Pune back in the match with those early strikes and Kartik also bowled well first up."

Steven Smith, who was awarded man-of-the-match awarded for his useful innings of 39 on a difficult track said that he and Robin Uthappa thought that "140 was a good score on this track."

"But our bowlers really did a good job and it feels great to start off with a win. It will help us gain the momentum," Smith stated.

PTI

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