"Good guys don't always finish last" - Aakash Chopra lauds Rahul Tripathi's match-winning knock in IPL 2022 clash between SRH and KKR

Aakash Chopra has picked Rahul Tripathi as the star performer in last night's IPL 2022 encounter between the Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) and the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR).

Tripathi smoked 71 runs off just 37 balls in a knock studded with four fours and six sixes. His innings helped Kane Williamson's side chase down the 176-run target set for them by KKR with relative ease.

While reviewing the SRH-KKR clash in a video shared on his YouTube channel, Chopra was effusive in his praise for Tripathi, saying:

"Rahul Tripathi - how well he plays. He is a selfless cricketer, I like this cricketer a lot. Whenever he does well, you feel good from the heart. Good guys don't always finish last and he is that guy who comes first and not last. He batted amazingly well right from the start."

The cricketer-turned-commentator was particularly appreciative of the way Rahul Tripathi tackled the mystery spin of Varun Chakravarthy. He explained:

"The shot he played against Pat Cummins straight down the ground was very good but after that, the two sixes he hit off Varun Chakravarthy, honestly I have not seen such class. Varun Chakravarthy is not any bowler, he was in India's World Cup team and he traps people with his mystery. But two sixes over covers, action replay, Tripathi Sahab outstanding."

Tripathi smashed Chakravarthy for a four and two consecutive sixes over extra cover in the mystery spinner's very first over. The former KKR player's familiarity with their bowlers would have held him in good stead.

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"Rahul Tripathi's knock came in double-quick speed" - Aakash Chopra

Rahul Tripathi was duly chosen as the Player of the Match [P/C: iplt20.com]

Aakash Chopra highlighted that Tripathi's knock made the 176-run chase seem like a walk in the park. He elaborated:

"Tripathi's knock came in double-quick speed and because of that a total which could have been even more tricky on a slightly tricky pitch, 175 runs are a lot, was chased very easily in the end."

The 44-year-old concluded by saying that Tripathi didn't allow KKR to gain the upper hand despite SRH losing a couple of early wickets. He observed:

"Kane Williamson got out and before that Abhishek Sharma had gotten out, the pressure was increasing slightly but it did not matter to him. Rahul didn't allow them (KKR) to come back in the game at all. He was absolutely stellar."

Aakash Chopra also praised Aiden Markram for taking SRH across the finish line. The South African batter scored an unbeaten 68 off 36 balls and strung together a 94-run third-wicket partnership with Tripathi.