Dhoni backs misfiring pacers despite loss

"I think the way we started the bowling, we gave away too many runs bowling short. That is generally the case, the bowlers see a lively wicket or a bit of bounce and they tend to bowl short," Dhoni said after England clinched six-wicket win thanks to a last-ball six.

"It was a wicket where you need to bowl slightly up then its more difficult for the batsmen to score," he told reporters in the post-match conference.

Dhoni defended pacers Ashok Dinda and Parvinder Awana.

"It is wrong to judge a player's performance in a couple of T20 games. If you see Dinda, he has bowled well in whatever games he has played. He is someone who can bowl the yorkers really well but it was difficult to execute the yorker with the dew in place and ball getting wet.

"Apart from that they can bowl quick. Dinda is a good fielder also. It is important we back these young bowlers. Not to forget, we have got lots of injuries. Most of our first line bowlers have an injury or some kind of a niggle. We need to back the bowlers especially the fast bowlers," he said.

"...In the first few games everyone feels the pressure especially if it's a bowler, they feel the pressure slightly more because cricket is a game of batsmen.

"If you lose while defending then people say the bowlers didn't bowl well and if you are chasing, and if you don't chase then they say ten runs too many were given by bowlers. It is a bit unfair on them but overall they will improve," he added.

Dinda picked up one wicket after conceding 44 runs, while Awana gave away 42 runs and went wicketless but Dhoni supported them. MORE