India skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni has said a below-par performance against Pakistan in the opening match cost his team an early exit from the Champions Trophy here. "Of course, the first game we played we were off the boil. But apart from that game, the second was a wash-out and the third we won," Dhoni said after his team crashed out of the tournament here on Wednesday.
"You feel disappointed, but at the same time it is difficult to say whether this performance was bad," said Dhoni. India were under pressure after losing to Pakistan by 54 runs in their opening game of the four-team Group A. They managed just 248 after conceding 302 runs. The next match against defending champions Australia was abandoned due to rain, with their opponents looking on course for a big total after posting 234-4 in 42.3 overs.
When India completed a seven-wicket victory over a depleted West Indies side in a day-night game here on Wednesday, they were already out of the competition following Australia's last-ball win over Pakistan in a day match. Wicket-keeper Dhoni also turned seamer for the first time in one-day internationals, taking the wicket of Travis Dowlin with his fourth delivery. Dinesh Karthik kept wickets after 16 overs. "I bowl regularly in the nets, but this was one of those wickets where I could have bowled," said Dhoni.
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