KKR opening partnership took the game away from us, says Glenn Maxwell

Kolkata, April 14 (Cricketnmore) A disappointed Kings XI Punjab skipper Glenn Maxwell on Thursday said Kolkata Knight Riders' rollicking opening stand and his side's loss of three wickets in the 18th over led to its eight-wicket defeat in the IPL match here.

The Kings struck 170/9, despite losing the set pair of David Miller and Wriddhiman Saha as also Axar Patel in the same over to Umesh Yadav, which somewhat slowed down their run rate in the slog phase.

With skipper Gautam Gambhir and Sunil Narine plundering 76 runs in their opening wicket partnership in only 34 balls, the Knights raced to a winning 171/2 in 16.3 overs at the Eden Gardens.

"I thought we had a chance with 170, the ball was swinging and seaming. We had an extra quick," said Maxwell.

The Kings' skipper said he was not surprised at Narine opening the batting, as he has seen him do so for Melbourne Renegades in the Big Bash. "Narine cracked an 18-ball 37 that set the stage for the Knights' ultimate victory.

"They got away from us and that opening partnership basically took the wind out of us.

"One poor over where we lost three wickets, then we lost our way. We will have to regroup," he added.