"What sort of punishment are you giving?" - Aakash Chopra on SunRisers Hyderabad's destructive batting in IPL 2024 win vs Delhi Capitals

Aakash Chopra has noted that the SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH) batters meted out harsh punishment to the Delhi Capitals (DC) bowlers in their IPL 2024 clash in Delhi on Saturday, April 20.

SRH set DC a mammoth 267-run target after Rishabh Pant asked them to bat first. Pat Cummins and company then bundled the hosts out for 199 to register a comprehensive 67-run win and climb into second position on the points table.

Reviewing the game in a video shared on his YouTube channel, Chopra pointed out that Travis Head and Abhishek Sharma virtually demolished the Delhi Capitals bowlers.

"What sort of punishment are you giving? They were hitting sixes one after the other. They are hitting at a different level. The interesting is that Travis Head scored 89 runs off 32 balls with the help of six sixes and Abhishek Sharma ran even faster than him. He scored 46 runs off 12 balls. He also hit six sixes," he said (15:50).

The former India opener observed that the SRH batters didn't show mercy to the DC bowlers despite losing a few quick wickets in the middle.

"Whoever was coming was getting hit. Then they lost three-four wickets at one stage and you felt what would happen. Nitish Reddy, Shahbaz Ahmed and Abdul Samad had the license to play cautiously as it would still work out. However, I feel it's illegal to play cautiously in this team," Chopra stated.

Chopra noted that SRH might have posted a 300-plus total if not for Kuldeep Yadav's (4/55) spell. While acknowledging that the left-arm wrist-spinner was also taken to the cleaners, he added that his wickets slowed down the visitors slightly.

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"This player is also playing differently" - Aakash Chopra on Delhi Capitals' Jake Fraser-McGurk

Jake Fraser-McGurk smoked 65 runs off just 18 deliveries. [P/C: iplt20.com]

Reflecting on the Delhi Capitals chase, Aakash Chopra praised Jake Fraser-McGurk and Abhishek Porel for playing belligerent knocks.

"Prithvi (Shaw) came and hit four fours off the first four balls and then got out. Jake Fraser-McGurk - this player is also playing differently. He hit only fours and sixes in a Washington Sundar over - three sixes and three fours. Abhishek Porel is also a good player. He scored 42 runs off just 22 balls," he said (18:30).

The cricketer-turned-commentator questioned Delhi Capitals skipper Rishabh Pant for demoting himself in the batting order.

"However, Rishabh Pant keeps moving himself down the order these days. Why are you coming at No. 6? This battle had to be won from the front. He didn't look in rhythm as well in this match but Pant has to bat higher. Forget the left-right combination and bat for 15 overs. You even scored a century once against this team," Chopra explained.

Pant scored a 35-ball 44 with the help of five fours and one six. He wasn't at his fluent best and was the last player to be dismissed, caught at fine leg by T Natarajan off Nitish Kumar Reddy's bowling.