"If you give him 2 lifelines, you seldom live to tell the tale" - Aakash Chopra lauds Virat Kohli's knock in RCB's IPL 2024 win vs PBKS

Aakash Chopra has noted that Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) opener Virat Kohli made the Punjab Kings (PBKS) pay for the two lifelines they gave him in their IPL 2024 clash in Dharamsala on Thursday, May 9. Ashutosh Sharma dropped the former RCB skipper before he had opened his account. Rilee Rossouw then grassed another chance when he was on 10.

Kohli went on to score a 47-ball 92 as the visitors set a mammoth 242-run target for Sam Curran and company. PBKS were then bundled out for 181, losing the game by 60 runs and getting knocked out of playoff contention.

Reflecting on RCB's batting in a video shared on his YouTube channel, Chopra observed that Kohli made the most of the reprieves he got.

"Kohli opened and it seemed like the Punjab players ate paranthas with a lot of butter and then forgot to wash their hands. Who drops so many catches? Everyone was dropping catches - easy, easy catches. As the saying goes, if you drop so many catches, you drop the match," he said (1:35).

"If you give Virat Kohli one lifeline, he makes your bharta (mashes you) if you are a brinjal. If you give him two lifelines, you seldom live to tell the tale, and that's what happened. The catches might have been slightly difficult but the one at cover was a regulation catch," the former India opener added.

Chopra feels Kohli's aggressive knock would have delighted all spectators.

"So Kohli scored 92 runs off 47 balls at a ferocious strike rate of 195. Dharamsala's hills are super cool and Virat Kohli in this match was paisa vasool (worth the money). How well he batted, everyone should applaud him along with me. Well done Virat Kohli," he stated.

Kohli struck seven fours and six sixes during his 92-run knock. He stitched crucial partnerships with Rajat Patidar and Cameron Green when RCB were reduced to 43/2 after Faf du Plessis and Will Jacks were dismissed.

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"Whenever he plays, he has a splendid impact" - Aakash Chopra praises RCB's Rajat Patidar

Rajat Patidar smashed 55 runs off just 23 balls. [P/C: iplt20.com]

Aakash Chopra also praised Rajat Patidar for playing another impactful knock.

"When Du Plessis and Will Jacks got out, it seemed like things might change suddenly, but Rajat Patidar. He scored 55 runs off 23 balls this time nearly at a strike rate of 240. He has been that kind of a player. Whenever he plays, he has a splendid impact. Rajat Patidar very, very asardar, banda bada imandar," he elaborated (2:30).

The cricketer-turned-commentator added that Cameron Green and Virat Kohli ensured RCB reached a massive total after Patidar was dismissed.

"He played very well but then he got out. Cameron Green took it forward from where he left off. He also scored 46 runs off 27 balls and Kohli was hitting non-stop at the other end in any case. Overall, the team reached a score of 241/7," Chopra noted.

Patidar's 23-ball 55 was studded with three fours and six sixes. Green struck five fours and a maximum in his 27-ball 46.