"Navaratri is over, and the powers have woken up now" - Aakash Chopra on SRH's IPL 2025 win vs PBKS

Former India player Aakash Chopra has noted that the SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH) opening pair of Abhishek Sharma and Travis Head were back to their explosive best in their IPL 2025 win against the Punjab Kings (PBKS). He particularly appreciated Abhishek for scoring a swashbuckling century in a mammoth run chase.

PBKS set SRH a massive 246-run target in Match 27 of IPL 2025 in Hyderabad on Saturday, April 12. Abhishek (141 off 55) and Head (66 off 37) stitched together a 171-run opening partnership in just 12.2 overs in the chase to help the home team register an eight-wicket win with nine balls to spare.

Reflecting on SRH's chase in a video shared on his YouTube channel 'Aakash Chopra', the former India opener noted that Abhishek and Head made a humongous target seem small.

"Navaratri is over, and the powers have woken up now. Travishek have returned and have made history. They made a 246-run target so small. Abhishek Sharma, take a bow, sir. Luck was slightly with him as he got caught off a no-ball, but it's not his fault. Zero sixes in the first five matches, and then only sixes. He hit 10 sixes," he said (0:01).

Chopra noted that the reprieve Abhishek got early in his innings due to a Yash Thakur no-ball proved to be a game-changer.

"There was a massive moment. The hitting had started, but then Yash Thakur came as an Impact Sub. Abhishek was caught in the deep, but it was a no-ball. You sometimes realize how a small mistake can make such a huge impact," he observed.

While praising Abhishek's unique technique, the cricketer-turned-commentator termed his knock the best in a run chase.

"I like a few things about Abhishek Sharma. Firstly, he holds the bat very high. You rarely get openers who hold the bat at the top. The backlift is very good, and the downswing is absolutely beautiful. I dare say, the best innings in a run chase. I might not have seen one better than this," Chopra elaborated.

Abhishek Sharma struck 14 fours and 10 sixes in SRH's IPL 2025 clash against GT. His 141-run knock is the highest score by any batter in an IPL chase.

---

"Priyansh Arya is a special talent" - Aakash Chopra lauds PBKS opener's knock in IPL 2025 loss vs SRH

Priyansh Arya gave PBKS a flying start in their IPL 2025 clash against SRH. [P/C: Getty]

Reflecting on the Punjab Kings' batting in their IPL 2025 clash against the SunRisers Hyderabad, Aakash Chopra praised Priyansh Arya for playing a breathtaking shot off Pat Cummins' bowling during his blazing 13-ball 36.

"Priyansh Arya is a special talent. The pick-up six he hit off Pat Cummins' bowling, my jaw dropped. I didn't have words as I had not seen such a shot. He is an uncapped kid, and Cummins is Australia's captain, and he hit him for a six like that. He kept hitting, and Prabhsimran Singh was also hitting," he said in the same video.

The analyst also appreciated Shreyas Iyer for scoring a splendid 36-ball 82 and Marcus Stoinis (34* off 11) for smoking four consecutive sixes off the final four balls of PBKS' innings, which took them to a seemingly insurmountable total.

"Shreyas Iyer played an excellent knock. He is actually a phenomenal player and is in excellent form. It was slightly heartbreaking that he didn't score a hundred. Nehal Wadhera played well for some time. Stoinis hit four consecutive sixes in the end. When you reach 245, you feel you are invincible," Chopra observed.

Reflecting on SRH's bowling, Aakash Chopra lauded Harshal Patel (4/42 in four overs) for bowling a potent spell against his former side. He also praised Eshan Malinga (2/45 in four overs) for bowling a decent spell after being included in the playing combination for the first time in IPL 2025.