Mumbai Indians “must keep moving forward” if they are to claim an unlikely Indian Premier League playoff spot in the final weeks of the regular season, according to captain Rohit Sharma.
The defending champions got the defence of their crown off to the worst possible start when they lost their opening five matches in the UAE leg of the tournament.
However, they have recovered well since returning to India by winning four out of their six games.
Monday’s 25-run victory against Rajasthan Royals moved the franchise into sixth place in the table, giving them a possibility of a knockout-stage place.
They face a huge challenge to maintain that momentum, when they travel to play fearsome table-toppers Kings XI Punjab.
But skipper Sharma backed his side to prove their mettle at Punjab Cricket Association Stadium.
“In the first half, we were bowling really well but the batsmen were not stepping up, but now it’s all falling in place," said Shamra. “The batsmen are enjoying a lot more here in India. But we can’t take that as an excuse for not performing in the UAE.
“If you are a champion side, you are expected to deliver every time you go out on the field. Although things didn’t go our way, we have to now keep moving forward – you never know what can happen, we are still very much in the tournament.”
Sharma admitted he had been shocked by the awful opening weeks in the UAE, adding: “Although the tournament hasn’t gone the way we were hoping, we have to keep everything (losses and negatives) aside and move forward.”
