IPL 2020: 'What Kings XI Punjab did was beyond my understanding' - Aakash Chopra on their loss against KKR

Former Indian opener Aakash Chopra mentioned that the manner in which Kings XI Punjab (KXIP) lost their IPL 2020 encounter against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) yesterday was beyond his understanding.

He made this observation while reviewing the KL Rahul-led team's defeat to the two-time IPL champions in a video shared on his YouTube channel.

Aakash Chopra started off by stating that he was shocked to see Kings XI Punjab lose a match that was theirs for the taking.

"Kings XI Punjab showed how a won match can be lost. It was shocking because I didn't feel they can lose that match."

The reputed commentator mentioned that it was unfathomable the manner in which Kings XI Punjab had managed to throw away the match after a huge opening partnership, in pursuit of a modest total.

"Kings XI Punjab had restricted KKR to a total they could have easily chased. But what they did was beyond my understanding. Because if you have such an opening partnership and you are chasing a modest total, then you walk towards the victory."

The @lionsdenkxip franchise has every right to question their captains and coach. How on Earth could they lose this one? #KKRvsKXIP

— Vikrant Gupta (@vikrantgupta73) October 10, 2020

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Aakash Chopra on the Kings XI Punjab batting order

Kings XI Punjab had sent Prabhsimran Singh to bat ahead of Glenn Maxwell [P/C: iplt20.com]

Aakash Chopra observed that Kings XI Punjab were ahead in the game when Mayank Agarwal was dismissed, and even when they lost Nicholas Pooran.

"There were no worries when Mayank got out. KXIP needed 48 runs in 5 overs with 9 wickets in hand. Nicholas Pooran got out after hitting for a while, then also there were no worries."

The former KKR player questioned the team management's decision of sending Prabhsimran to bat ahead of Mandeep Singh and Glenn Maxwell.

"But when Pooran got out, they sent in Prabhsimran, neither Mandeep who was playing his 100th IPL match nor Maxwell, whom you have bought after paying a huge sum of money."

He pointed out that Prabhsimran is a talented player but inexperienced at this level, and that the few deliveries he took to settle in the middle made Kings XI Punjab's task difficult.

"They sent Prabhsimran, who has just started playing, he is batting well but has just come. So he tried to find his feet in the first 2-3 deliveries and in that while, the asking rate starts mounting. I actually tweeted at that time that surely Punjab can't lose but they did end up losing."

Aakash Chopra highlighted that Andre Russell's inability to bowl because of an injury was also an added advantage for Kings XI Punjab.

"Andre Russell was injured and couldn't bowl, so the scales were tilted in favour of Kings XI Punjab that they would chase the target easily as he was bowling at the death for KKR."

The 43-year old lauded Prasidh Krishna for bowling an excellent penultimate over, dismissing the well-set KL Rahul, with Sunil Narine then applying the finishing touches in the last over.

"But Prasidh Krishna bowled a good 19th over, where Rahul who was going to go with the Man of the Match and all the accolades got out and then Narine bowled a good 20th over and that's it, game over."

He mentioned that although Maxwell did come in finally and went for a maximum off the last ball to take the match to a Super Over, his blow fell just short of the boundary rope for Kings XI Punjab to lose by two runs.

"Maxwell came for sure, but the ball landed inside the field by a very small margin and KKR won the match by 2 inches and 2 runs."

Game of millimetres . Maxwell hit big but fallen just before the boundary#KKRvsKXIP pic.twitter.com/EK5pxtP8q6

— Yatin Pal (@YatinPal4) October 10, 2020

Aakash Chopra signed off by stating that with this loss Kings XI Punjab can almost bid goodbye to their hopes of making it through to the playoffs of IPL 2020.

Who won yesterday IPL match, click here to find out.

"Kings XI Punjab, one win in seven matches, their campaign is perhaps as good as over. May be there is a comeback but it looks very very difficult."

Kings XI Punjab needed 21 runs off 16 deliveries when they lost the wicket of Nicholas Pooran. But they made the inexplicable decision of sending the young Prabhsimran Singh ahead of Glenn Maxwell.

The inexperienced wicketkeeper-batsman could only manage a single off the next four deliveries from Sunil Narine. Kings XI Punjab then failed to chase the required 20 runs off the remaining 12 deliveries and lost the match by a narrow 2-run margin.