UP let Mumbai off the hook, says skipper Mohd Kaif

Hyderabad, Jan 17: Despite having to forego the 38th Ranji Trophy, Uttar Pradesh captain Mohammad Kaif has no complaints from his team and is satisfied with the way his boys performed throughout the season.

“I am very satisfied with the performance of the team. Though we committed some mistakes in Mumbai`s first innings in the final, we managed to bounce back in the match strongly,” Kaif said told reporters.

“Our plans against Mumbai had almost worked out in the first innings, but some mistakes allowed the rivals to post a challenging total for us,” he said, adding, “Despite finishing runners-up last season, we started afresh this season and chalked out plans for every match.”

“We took every match with a different attitude, and I am happy that all the players lived upto the expectations.”

Kaif, however, admitted that injuries to Praveen Kumar and RP Singh at crucial moments in the final match caused maximum damage to UP’s winning prospects.

“RP didn`t bowl in Mumbai`s second innings because of shoulder pain. We can`t blame any particular thing for our defeat in the final, but there were many small things which shattered our chances in the end.”