IPL 2023: Aakash Chopra Reveals Where Rajasthan Royals Lost The Match Against Sunrisers Hyderabad

Add as a preferred source on Google

Former India cricketer turned commentator Aakash Chopra explained what cost Rajasthan Royals their defence of 214 against Sunrisers Hyderabad in IPL 2023 on Sunday (May 7) at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium in Jaipur.

Sunrisers Hyderabad pulled off a sensational chase, beating Rajasthan Royals by four wickets in Match No. 52 to blow the IPL 2023 playoff race wide open as all ten teams now have a chance to sneak into the top four.

Opting to bat, the Royals amassed 214/2 in 20 overs, with Jos Buttler scoring 95 off 59 balls and skipper Sanju Samson managing 66 not out off 38 balls. SRH's batters kept their sights firmly on the target with opener Abhishek Sharma scoring 55 off 34 balls.

Ultimately, the game came down to a last-ball thriller where Abdul Samad smashed a six off medium pacer Sandeep Sharma to take his side over the line. The encounter was tied for the third-highest target to ever be successfully chased down in IPL history.

SRH scored 43 runs in the final two overs, which included Kuldip Yadav giving away 24 runs in the 19th over, of which 22 were struck by Glenn Phillips who smashed three successive sixes and a boundary.

JioCinema TATA IPL expert Chopra revealed using Kuldip to bowl the penultimate over was where Royals got it wrong with Obed McCoy and Sandeep Sharma, who were better experienced and also available to bowl at that stage.

"We discussed how one decision can be the difference between winning and losing. Who bowled the 19th over? If someone had to, it should've been Sandeep Sharma or Obed McCoy," Chopra said.

"Kuldip Yadav could have bowled, I am not saying he can't be better or is average, but the truth is that he shouldn't have bowled this over."

Chopra also commented on the final over no-ball by Sandeep Sharma in a poetic manner saying: "They got that catch and thought it was over, but this is a game of margins and you lost to the margins when you overstepped. If you overstep, you have to face the consequences."

Another JioCinema IPL expert Brett Lee loved the contest and what the IPL has been delivering so far this season with last-ball finishes and high totals being chased.

"What is going on in this IPL? I honestly can't believe it. This has been an amazing finish. It has been an incredible weekend of cricket and it's been a great game tonight. I thought there was no chance with those amount of runs in those balls," Lee said.

Rajasthan Royals will look to soon bounce back to keep their slim hopes of playoff spot alive when they travel to Kolkata to face Kolkata Knight Riders at the Eden Gardens on Thursday (May 11).