'Did you ask this question when RCB were all out for 49?' - Aakash Chopra hits out at critics of the Women's T20 Challenge

Former Indian opener Aakash Chopra has lambasted fans who questioned the quality of the Women's T20 Challenge after the Velocity's poor performance against the Trailblazers.

In a video shared on his YouTube channel, he asked the critics if the same questions were asked when the Royal Challengers Bangalore were blown away for just 49 runs by the Kolkata Knight Riders.

While previewing tonight's encounter between Supernovas and Trailblazers, Aakash Chopra talked about the results thus far. The Velocity won their first match before being bowled out for just 47 runs in their next encounter.

"Velocity won a match at the start and then lost a match. When they won, it was a good win against Supernovas but when they lost they were all out for 47."

The reputed commentator observed that a lot of people have been questioning the women's game after the Velocity's poor performance.

"There was a big question that a lot of people have asked and I want to address that. A lot of people have said that what sort of team this is, they got out for 47, that is why no one watches women's cricket and that it is a bad advertisement with the match being telecast on TV."

Aakash Chopra asked those critics if they had the same opinion when RCB were bundled out for just 49 runs or when KKR were restricted to a score of 84/8 in IPL 2020.

"Put your hand on your heart and tell if you had asked the same question when Royal Challengers Bangalore had got out for 49, did you ask this question from KKR when they scored 84 for 8 in 20 overs."

Aakash Chopra pointed out that any team could have an off day while highlighting that the women had very limited time to prepare for the tournament.

"The opportunity is their right. You have not done any favours to them. Every team gets stuck some time or the other. They had a bigger quarantine and a shorter practice period."

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Aakash Chopra on today's clash between the Supernovas and the Trailblazers

Aakash Chopra picked Harmanpreet Kaur as the likely game-changer in tonight's match [P/C: iplt20.com]

Coming to tonight's clash, Aakash Chopra named Harmanpreet Kaur, Shashikala Siriwardene and Priya Punia as some of the players in the Supernovas lineup from whom he has great expectations.

"I have expectations from Harmanpreet Kaur and Shashikala. I have actually a lot of expectations from Harmanpreet Kaur in this match and there is Priya Punia as well up the order. Hopefully she will also strike the ball well."

The former KKR player observed that the Supernovas seem to be the strongest team on paper. Aakash Chopra added that their clash against the Smriti Mandhana-led team would be interesting, as they are coming off a defeat against the Velocity.

"They have a good bowling lineup as well, they have Poonam Yadav. When I see the three teams, I feel Supernovas in the best team but they are coming after losing a match. So this match will be interesting, with Smriti Mandhana's team facing Harmanpreet Kaur's team."

Aakash Chopra also picked Harmanpreet Kaur as the likely game-changer in tonight's encounter, pointing out that she seemed to be her former self in the last match after a rather unsuccessful T20 World Cup.

"I am going with Harmanpreet Kaur. She showed in the last match that the cobwebs of World T20 had gone as her bat had not done the talking then. It had seemed that she was trying to hit the ball too hard and trying to hit the big shot immediately after coming in and it was not working."

Aakash Chopra elaborated that the Supernovas captain was timing the ball well in the last match, which will complement her power game.

"But in the match against Velocity, the ball was not comimg nicely on to the bat but she was timing the ball well. She has the power game but when she scores runs by timing the ball, it feels that she is in decent form."

Aakash Chopra signed off by picking Supernovas as the likely victors of tonight's encounter.

"I feel Supernovas will win and it will be a three-way tie and Trailblazers and Supernovas will qualify for the final."

A win for the Trailblazers in today's Women's T20 Challenge clash will take them into the finals along with the Velocity. A positive result for the Supernovas, on the contrary, will bring the equation down to run rate with the Velocity likely to bow out.

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