"They messed up in their calculation" - Aakash Chopra questions Liam Livingstone's batting position for Punjab Kings vs RR in IPL 2022

Aakash Chopra has questioned the Punjab Kings' tactics of holding back Liam Livingstone in their batting order in Saturday (May 7) afternoon's IPL 2022 clash against the Rajasthan Royals (RR).

Livingstone walked out to bat at the fall of Jonny Bairstow's wicket when only 32 deliveries were left in the Punjab Kings innings. The big-hitting all-rounder smashed 22 runs off 14 balls before he was castled by a Prasidh Krishna yorker.

Reflecting on Punjab Kings' batting effort in a video shared on his YouTube channel, Aakash Chopra was critical of their usage of Livingstone. He explained:

"Liam Livingstone should have walked out in the 11th over, this team would have scored 225 if it was his good day. If it was his bad day, then it doesn't matter if it was in the 11th or the 18th. I think they (Punjab) messed up in their calculation."

The former Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) player reckons Livingstone should have walked out to bat at the fall of Bhanuka Rajapaksa's wicket. Chopra observed:

"I was waiting, a wicket fell in the 11th over, that Liam will come. Liam Livingstone doesn't come, Mayank Agarwal comes. After that when a wicket falls, I say once again that Liam will come but he doesn't come, Jitesh Sharma comes."

Mayank Agarwal, who has given his place at the top of the order to Jonny Bairstow, came out to bat at No. 4. The Punjab Kings skipper managed just 15 runs off 13 deliveries to put his side slightly behind the eight ball.

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"It was slightly beyond my understanding" - Aakash Chopra on Punjab Kings shielding Liam Livingstone from Yuzvendra Chahal

Jitesh Sharma and Liam Livingstone added 50 runs in four overs [P/C: iplt20.com]

Aakash Chopra added that the Punjab Kings' tactic of shielding Livingstone from Yuzvendra Chahal was also unsuccessful. He elaborated:

"You send Liam Livingstone in the end and you feel till then that you not will send him in front of Yuzi (Chahal). Till when will you escape, he had to play Yuzi's over in the end. It was slightly beyond my understanding."

However, the renowned commentator lauded the quartet of Jitesh Sharma, Bairstow, Bhanuka Rajapaksa and Livingstone for taking PBKS to a fighting total. Chopra said:

"Jitesh Sharma was absolutely sensational, so was Jonny Bairstow, Bhanuka also did well, Liam also hit a lot during the time he batted but if you allow him to play 34 instead of 14 balls, he can score 75 as well. You have to bat out the opposition."

The Punjab Kings ended up with a score of 189/5 in their allotted 20 overs. However, the 190-run target did not prove enough for the Royals as Sanju Samson's side won the match by six wickets with two balls to spare.

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