"Who gets out like that?" - Aakash Chopra on Punjab Kings' batting performance in IPL 2022 match against Delhi Capitals

Aakash Chopra has highlighted that Shikhar Dhawan was dismissed in peculiar fashion during Punjab Kings' (PBKS) innings in last night's IPL 2022 clash against the Delhi Capitals (DC).

Dhawan tried to paddle a Lalit Yadav delivery down the leg side, only to get the faintest of edges to Rishabh Pant behind the wickets. His dismissal triggered a collapse, as the Punjab Kings lost four wickets for 21 runs and were eventually bowled out for 115.

Aakash Chopra reflected on the Punjab Kings' batting effort in a video shared on his YouTube channel. He said the following about Dhawan's dismissal:

"I had great expectations from Shikhar Dhawan. He got out in an odd fashion, who gets out like that? Lalit Yadav was called to bowl. Shikhar Dhawan hit a shot straight down the ground as well but then got out playing the paddle, Rishabh Pant took a good catch."

The former India cricketer pointed out that the Punjab Kings were set further back with Mayank Agarwal and Liam Livingstone also falling in quick succession. Chopra elaborated:

"Mayank Agarwal was batting well. But in the next over itself, he got an inside egde to a Mustafizur Rahman delivery and he was also out. You had lost two wickets and the powerplay overs are still going on. Liam Livingstone comes, Axar is called here and he leaves the former stranded halfway down the pitch."

Agarwal scored a breezy 24 off 15 balls before inside-edging a Mustafizur Rahman delivery onto his stumps. Livingstone danced down the wicket off the third delivery he faced. He got beaten by the turn and was stumped by Rishabh Pant.

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"Suddenly you are hoping that you play 20 overs" - Aakash Chopra on the Punjab Kings losing Jonny Bairstow's wicket

Jonny Bairstow pulled Khaleel Ahmed straight down the deep-fine leg fielder's throat [P/C: ipolt20.com]

Aakash Chopra added that the Punjab Kings were struggling to bat out the 20 overs when Jonny Bairstow was dismissed cheaply. He observed:

"It seemed Jonny Bairstow will hit boundaries, he hits two or three fours, and then he also departs. When he also gets out, you are down in the dumps. You have Jitesh and Shahrukh, suddenly you are hoping that you play 20 overs somehow."

The reputed commentator concluded by highlighting that the Punjab Kings' innings followed its usual path of floundering after getting off to a bright start. Chopra explained:

"They tried a lot - Jitesh, Shahrukh, Rahul Chahar - everyone tried to somehow play the 20 overs. A team which interestingly enough goes at the highest strike rate in the powerplay and then suddenly nosedives and Punjab Kings is the team which goes at the least pace in the last five overs."

Jitesh Sharma (32 runs off 23 balls) was the only PBKS batter to put up a fight after Mayank Agarwal's dismissal. The 116-run target was never going to be a challenge for the Delhi Capitals. David Warner and Prithvi Shaw's explosive knocks at the top of the order helped Rishabh Pant's side reach the target with almost 10 overs to spare.

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