"The guy has serious potential" - Aakash Chopra lauds Yash Thakur's performances for Lucknow Super Giants in IPL 2023

Aakash Chopra has praised Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) seamer Yash Thakur for his consistent performances in the ongoing edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL 2023).

Krunal Pandya and Co. set a 177-target for Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata on Saturday (May 20). Thakur returned figures of 2-31 in three overs to help his side register a nail-biting one-run win and book their berth in the playoffs.

While reflecting on the closing stages of the LSG-KKR clash, Chopra placed Thakur on a high pedestal:

"Towards the end, the match was hanging in the balance. Naveen-ul-Haq bowled an extremely expensive over, and then there was pressure on Yash Thakur although Yash Thakur's 18th over had actually kept them alive."

The former Indian opener added:

"In the last over, there was a wide, and then there was a six hit, but Yash Thakur, actually he is the most impressive uncapped Indian fast bowler in this league. I haven't seen anyone better than him this year. The guy has serious potential. In the end, Lucknow won by one run."

Thakur, who has picked up ten wickets in eight outings in IPL 2023, conceded only ten runs in the 18th over when KKR needed 51 off the final three.

Although Rinku Singh smashed two sixes and a four of the last three balls of the final over bowled by him, the two dot balls he bowled before that helped the Lucknow Super Giants scrape through to a win.

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"The batting might is not being seen" - Aakash Chopra on Lucknow Super Giants' batting

Nicholas Pooran's blazing knock helped LSG post a fighting total. (P/C: iplt20.com)

Aakash Chopra was not too pleased with the Lucknow Super Giants' batting effort:

"I don't know what is the issue with this team, but the batting might is not being seen. They made a lot of changes. Prerak Mankad, Karan Sharma and Quinton de Kock were playing, and Vaibhav Arora got Marcus Stoinis out."

The cricketer-turned-commentator pointed out that Nicholas Pooran saved the day for the visitors:

"In the end, Nicholas Pooran hit amazingly well and took the team to a total that could have been defended. If Nicholas Pooran had not played like that, there was no chance that this team was winning."

The Lucknow Super Giants were reduced to 73-5 after 10.1 overs. Pooran then smoked 58 runs off 30 balls and added 74 runs for the sixth wicket with Ayush Badoni (25 off 21) to help his team post a defendable total, which proved just enough in the end.