Aakash Chopra Picks His Top 5 Cricketing Moments of 2020
Published - 01 Jan 2021, 06:07 PM | Updated - 23 Aug 2024, 12:39 AM
For Aakash Chopra, the retirement news of MS Dhoni from international cricket was the biggest story of the year. In a video uploaded on his Facebook page, the former India cricketer names his top 5 stories of 2020.
Chopra says that the departure of MS Dhoni concluded an era. Dhoni, who led his country to three ICC titles, bid adieu on 15th August- he last played for the men in blue in the semi-final of the 2019 World Cup against New Zealand. The CSK skipper will continue to play in the IPL next year as well.
In his Facebook video, Aakash Chopra said, “The biggest story of the year was MS Dhoni announcing his retirement. It was an era that has finished. It was known that he might not play, but the finality was not there. We were all waiting, but 2020 was the year when he announced his retirement through an Instagram video. We all obviously are going to miss him.”
Virat Kohli not scoring a 3-digit score surprised everyone, and Chopra is no exception- this is his 2nd biggest story of the year gone by. The Indian captain for the first time since his debut year, 2008, has failed to notch an international hundred.
Chopra’s third pick is the resurgence of Mohammad Hafeez in Pakistan’s T20I team. At the age of 40, Hafeez ended 2020 as the leading run-scorer in T20 internationals.
“At No.2, I am going with a story of a different kind. Virat Kohli did not hit a single hundred in the year although there were fewer matches. It’s not that there were no matches at all. He played in New Zealand, an entire IPL, and then in Australia. He has scored runs, but the century did not come. Before that, it was in 2008 when this happened,” Aakash Chopra added.
“My third story is Mohammad Hafeez. He has done a praiseworthy job. His stature grew in T20 cricket. He took his PSL team to the final, and his numbers in 2020 have been sensational,” the cricketer-turned-commentator said.
Mumbai Indians are the best franchise team in the world: Aakash Chopra
The 43-year-old is in awe of the strength of Mumbai Indians and regards them as the best franchise team in the world. The Rohit Sharma-led side won its fifth IPL title – two more than the next best CSK – and also became the second team to successfully defend their title, after CSK in 2011.
For his last pick, the former opener went with England’s James Anderson, who snared his 600th Test wicket in 2020 against Pakistan becoming the first pacer to do so.
“Then the story of Mumbai Indians. They won the title for the fifth time. Defending the title is a very difficult task, but the margin with which they won, it seemed they were sitting high on the pedestal while others were fighting to reach there. Such dominance is very rarely seen in T20 cricket. They have shown they are the best franchise team in the world.”
“My last story will be about James Anderson. He has reached 600 Test wickets, the only fast bowler to do so ever. He has been that kind of a player,” Aakash Chopra concluded.
Also Read: Government To Allow 50% Spectators In Stadium For Sporting Events In India
