Chandigarh, Apr 16 (Reporter) Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) captain Ajinkya Rahane has called on his team to learn from their narrow 16-run defeat to Punjab Kings in a thrilling low-scoring encounter at the Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium here on Tuesday night. Despite a valiant bowling effort that saw Harshit Rana pick up three wickets, and Sunil Narine and Varun Chakaravarthy each take two, KKR faltered in their chase of a modest 112. Rahane reflected on the loss, admitting that the team's batting performance lacked the necessary game awareness to adapt to the challenging conditions. "We didn’t bat well and didn't have the awareness to play according to what the situation demanded, but we learn from it," Rahane said after the match. "T20 cricket is not only about hitting sixes... it’s about reading the situation and having the game awareness as a batsman and then taking the game forward. That's what we lacked today," he added. KKR's bowlers had done their job, restricting Punjab Kings to a total of just 111 runs, but the batting side failed to capitalise on the manageable target. Rahane admitted that the conditions were not conducive to aggressive batting, saying, "It wasn't a belter or a flat wicket, there was something for the bowlers. So, we had to grind it out. It is not about hitting sixes every time and getting that net run rate up." Rahane emphasised that in T20 cricket, sometimes it is necessary to play a more measured innings, with lower strike rates, to successfully chase down targets in challenging conditions. "We need to learn how to grind out results in certain situations. Even though sometimes you have to play a maiden over in T20 cricket or play at a strike rate of 70-80, it’s okay. But you have to grind it out," Rahane said. Looking ahead to the rest of the league stage, Rahane stressed that there is no room for complacency as KKR have seven more matches to play. "We are halfway through the tournament and there are seven matches to go in the league stage. It’s always about coming back with good intent, while still looking to learn and improve as a batsman and take it on in the next game," he concluded. With KKR sitting on three wins in the tournament so far, Rahane remains confident that his experienced squad will bounce back and learn from this setback to push for a strong finish in the ongoing IPL season...////...