"It has become tata bye-bye" - Aakash Chopra on Punjab Kings' loss to Lucknow Super Giants in IPL 2022

Aakash Chopra reckons Punjab Kings (PBKS) can almost bid goodbye to their chances of qualifying for the playoffs of IPL 2022.

PBKS suffered a 20-run defeat against Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) on Friday (April 29). Mayank Agarwal's team now have just eight points from nine games and are seventh in the points table.

While reviewing the PBKS-LSG game in a video shared on his YouTube channel, Aakash Chopra painted a gloomy picture for the Punjab Kings, saying:

"Mayank's team, Sir ji - it has become tata bye-bye because you should have won this encounter. Since you have not won here, you are a team from the north but will go towards the south, that's quite unfortunate."

However, the former Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) player acknowledged that there were quite a few positives for the Kings in the bowling department. Chopra explained:

"Kagiso Rabada was absolutely outstanding. He picked up four wickets and they were big wickets - you dismissed KL Rahul, Krunal Pandya, Ayush Badoni and Dushmantha Chameera - who was hitting sixes. I thought Rahul Chahar bounced back quite nicely as well because his season was not going very good. Arshdeep Singh is bowling very well - he doesn't get wickets, that's a separate story."

Rabada was the most successful PBKS bowler, with figures of 4/38. While Rahul Chahar snared a couple of wickets, Arshdeep Singh and Sandeep Sharma were extremely economical, conceding just 23 and 18 runs respectively in their four-over spells.

---

"Dushmantha Chameera - he took crucial two wickets" - Aakash Chopra on Punjab Kings' run chase

Mayank Agarwal was the aggressor at the start of the Punjab Kings' innings [P/C: iplt20.com]

While picking Mohsin Khan's dismissal of Liam Livingstone as the game-changing moment of the PBKS innings, Aakash Chopra praised Dushmantha Chameera for getting rid of Mayank Agarwal and Jonny Bairstow. He elaborated:

"Dushmantha Chameera - he took crucial two wickets, he was very very good. He dismissed Mayank Agarwal at the start and Jonny Bairstow later, two huge wickets. Mayank was looking dangerous and Bairstow was left alone, he dismissed him as well."

The reputed commentator also had a word of praise for Ravi Bishnoi and Krunal Pandya for picking up crucial wickets. Chopra observed:

"Ravi Bishnoi came in front of Shikhar Dhawan. Whenever he (Dhawan) hits cross-shots, I feel there are chances of getting out. Krunal Pandya bowled four overs, conceded only 11 runs and picked up crucial two wickets - Jitesh Sharma and Bhanuka Rajapaksa. That was incredibly important because Punjab's batting has explosive ability but does not have the depth."

Punjab Kings have an uphill task to make the playoffs. They might need to win at least four of their five remaining games to stand a chance of doing so.