IPL 2020: Aakash Chopra Points Out The Turning Point Of The Match

Cricketer-turned-commentator, Aakash Chopra feels that Rishabh Pant’s dismissal in the 15th over of the game was the turning point in the final.

Mumbai Indians defeated Delhi Capitals in the IPL 2020 final on Tuesday. Mumbai clinched their fifth IPL trophy with a victory over Delhi by 5 wickets. It was also the second time in the history of the tournament that a team defended its title.

Rishabh Pant has had an ordinary season till the final. However, Pant along with Shreyas Iyer bailed out the team from another poor start. Delhi was reduced to 22/3, after which Pant and Iyer staged a partnership with individual fifties. A target of 157 never seemed daunting for MI, as they chased it down comfortably with the help of Rohit Sharma’s half-century.

Might have got a new champion: Aakash Chopra

Aakash Chopra, in a video uploaded on his YouTube channel, has opined that Rishabh Pant’s untimely wicket was the turning point of the match. Chopra believes this because Pant and Iyer had put up a 96-run partnership and were looking to accelerate.

Chopra said that Pant had already struck two fours in the over by Nathan Coulet-Nile and had the southpaw played more, he could have taken the team’s score over 175.

In his YouTube video, Aakash Chopra said, “Rishabh Pant’s dismissal was the turning point of the match. Because there was a very good partnership going on. Where you were 22/3 and from there you had put together a 96-run stand. And till the time Rishabh Pant was there, he had struck two boundaries in that over and if he had played more, then he would taken the score to 175-180 or even 190.”

The former India opener asserted that Pant could have played the slower bouncer more cautiously instead of looking for another boundary. He boldly said that had Pant remained on the crease for more time, Delhi might have won their maiden title.

The 43-year-old praised the wicket-keeper batsman saying that Pant was about to enter his absolute destructive mode before getting out. Chopra is impressed by the youngster’s innnigs in the final, as he has had a disappointing season so far. The commentator calls Pant an X-factor and was happy to see the 23-year-old among runs.

Chopra continued, “The time he got out, I think that was the turning point. The runs had already come in that over and if he played the slower bouncer a little cautiously and had not tried to hit another boundary, then probably this match might have taken a different course and the IPL might have got a new champion.”

“When he plays like this, we come to know why he is the X-factor. And I am a huge fan of him and I like it when he does well,” he added.

Rishabh Pant scored 343 runs in IPL 2020 at an average of 31.18, however, his strike rate of 113 is concerning. He is dropped from India’s limited-overs squad for the Australia tour. However, the left-hander will feature in the Test series. Pant, who scored a hundred in India’s previous tour down under will be itching to step in the field for the high voltage Test series.

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