The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 season is underway, and the Punjab Kings (PBKS) have started their campaign with a win against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) by seven runs. However, the victory wasn’t convincing enough for cricketer-turned-commentator Aakash Chopra, who predicts that neither team will make it to the playoffs.
Injuries have hit KKR hard this season, with regular captain Shreyas Iyer ruled out due to recurring back problems, Pat Cummins resting ahead of a busy international season, and Lockie Ferguson suffering a hamstring injury just before the tournament. Meanwhile, PBKS invested heavily in the auction, buying Sam Curran for Rs. 18.25 Crores. However, their lack of success is rarely due to a lack of talent.
Aakash Chopra believes that both teams have their own problems, making it difficult for them to make it to the playoffs. While KKR started with a loss, PBKS started with a win, but Chopra still believes that they are a 50-50 team.
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PBKS had a solid start to their innings, with Bhanuka Rajapaksa scoring a solid 50 and captain Shikhar Dhawan contributing 40 to take them to 191 in their 20 overs. KKR’s chase seemed to be going well, but rain reduced the overs to 16, and the target was set to 153. Andre Russell looked like he might bring the Knight Riders home, but they lost the match by seven runs by the DLS method.
Chopra also believes that PBKS’s hands are tied when it comes to picking their squad, with Jonny Bairstow ruled out of the tournament and Kagiso Rabada and Liam Livingstone also unavailable for selection in their match against KKR. While PBKS has replaced Bairstow with Australian Matthew Short, Chopra still thinks they are unlikely to make it to the IPL playoffs in 2023.
Despite the lack of optimism from Chopra, PBKS will look to continue their winning momentum when they take on Rajasthan Royals (RR) on April 5. It remains to be seen if they can prove Chopra wrong and make a strong push for the playoffs.