IPL 2020: 'This was the match where Pat Cummins repaid KKR for the huge money they spent on him' - Aakash Chopra

Former Indian opener Aakash Chopra has opined that Pat Cummins repaid the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) for the huge bucks they spent on him with his match-winning performance in yesterday's crucial encounter against the Rajasthan Royals (RR).

He made this observation while reviewing the Eoin Morgan-led side's emphatic 60-run win over the inaugural IPL winners in a video shared on his YouTube channel.

Aakash Chopra started by pointing out that KKR didn't get off to the most auspicious of starts with Jofra Archer getting rid of Nitish Rana in the first over itself.

"KKR were off to a bad start but that's what Jofra Archer does to any opposition. Nitish Rana got out and the DRS went with him. Shubman Gill and Rahul Tripathi played well but then they lost two wickets in two overs."

While questioning Sunil Narine's promotion in the batting order, the reputed commentator lauded Eoin Morgan for almost single-handedly taking KKR to a huge total. He added that the KKR skipper was helped a short blitzkrieg from Andre Russell.

"Narine was sent in the middle and all of us were thinking when Morgan would come. Then Morgan comes and plays a good knock. In fact he was instrumental, it was a big match and they were looking at big players."

"He took the team single-handedly almost although Russell came up with a good small cameo. They took the team to 191, a strong enough total although the dew was yet to come and Rajasthan Royals had chased a total above 190 thrice."

Talking about the KKR bowling effort, the 43-year-old observed that the early strikes by Pat Cummins and Shivam Mavi finished the match as a contest after the former had been taken to the cleaners off his first few deliveries.

"Pat Cummins gave 19 runs off the first 5 balls but gets Robbie out of the 6th ball. Then he gets Ben Stokes, with an outstanding catch from Dinesh Karthik, and another wicket in his next over. Mavi also dismisses Sanju Samson from the other end and game over."

Aakash Chopra highlighted that the KKR bowlers never allowed the Rajasthan Royals batsmen to get away, with Varun Chakravarthy putting the final nail in their coffin by dismissing Jos Buttler.

"KKR clinically tightened their stranglehold on the RR batsmen. Steve Smith got out and Jos Buttler was dismissed later by Varun Chakravarthy and one by one they kept on losing wickets."

The former KKR player pointed out that Pat Cummins and Eoin Morgan were the stars of the show for the franchise while sounding optimistic about their chances of qualifying for the playoffs.

"Pat Cummins with the ball and Eoin Morgan with the bat were absolutely outstanding. KKR have done what they could and are waiting for other results to fall in their favour which is a very strong likelihood."

---

Aakash Chopra on the game-changer in the clash between KKR and RR

Pat Cummins scalped 4 wickets during the KKR bowling effort [P/C: iplt20.com]

Aakash Chopra named Pat Cummins as the game-changer for KKR, with the Aussie having dismantled the Rajasthan Royals top order.

"I am going with Pat Cummins. The only way to stop Rajasthan Royals was to take wickets. And if you take three wickets in the first two overs, what else do you want."

Dream11 GameChanger of Match 54 between @KKRiders and @rajasthanroyals is Pat Cummins. @Dream11 #YeApnaGameHai #Dream11IPL pic.twitter.com/TYpT1DhStK

— IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) November 1, 2020

He reasoned that the KKR speedster took the key wickets of Ben Stokes, Robin Uthappa and Steve Smith to leave the Rajasthan Royals with no chance of mounting a comeback.

"And he took 4 wickets in all and broke the backbone of the RR batting lineup. And they were big wickets, he got Ben Stokes, Robbie and Steve Smith. It was just a matter of formality after that."

Aakash Chopra signed off by observing that Pat Cummins showed that he was deservedly bought for huge bucks by KKR at the IPL auction.

"This was the match where Pat Cummins repaid KKR for the huge money they spent on him."

With yesterday's annihilation of the Rajasthan Royals, the Kolkata Knight Riders are very much back in the race for a playoff spot. They need the Sunrisers Hyderabad to suffer a defeat their last match or one out of the Royal Challengers Bangalore and the Delhi Capitals to lose today's match convincingly to make it through to the Eliminator.

Big games are meant for big players. Captain Morgan and Pat Cummins instrumental in a huge victory. Now, only a ‘slender’ defeat would keep the loser of #DCvRCB game alive without worrying about the #SRHvMI result. #KKR has done what they could have. Over to LUCK. #IPL2020

— Aakash Chopra (@cricketaakash) November 1, 2020