"The best finisher in town" - Aakash Chopra lauds Rinku Singh's knock in KKR's IPL 2023 win vs Punjab Kings
Aakash Chopra has lauded Rinku Singh for once again finishing the game for the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in their IPL 2023 clash against the Punjab Kings (PBKS).
PBKS set KKR a 180-run target after opting to bat first at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata on Monday, May 8. Rinku then hit a boundary off the final delivery to help his team seal a five-wicket win and climb into fifth position in the points table.
While reviewing the game in a video shared on his YouTube channel, Chopra heaped praise on Rinku Singh, elaborating:
"RRR - first comes Rana, then comes Russell, and in the end comes Rinku, the best finisher in town. It doesn't make a difference to him. He doesn't feel any pressure. The guy once again won the match by hitting a four. Now he has developed the habit of winning games."
The former Indian opener also lauded Nitish Rana and Andre Russell for making vital contributions in the run chase, saying:
"Nitish Rana scored a fifty. Andre Russell was promoted slightly up the order. This team is not saying that Andre Russell is just a finisher and then Andre in, ball out. He was brilliant and so was Rinku Singh in the end."
While Rana top-scored for the Kolkata Knight Riders with a 38-ball 51, Russell smoked 42 runs off 23 balls. Rinku remained unbeaten on a 10-ball 21 and struck a four when KKR needed two runs off the final delivery after Russell was run out off the previous ball.
"Why?" - Aakash Chopra questions the Punjab Kings for not using Harpreet Brar effectively
![Harpreet Brar bowled a solitary over for the Punjab Kings. [P/C: iplt20.com]](https://statico.sportskeeda.com/editor/2023/05/a315f-16836085431092-1920.jpg?w=500)
While praising Jason Roy for giving KKR a good start, Aakash Chopra questioned the Punjab Kings for not using Harpreet Brar effectively, explaining:
"Jason Roy batted very well. Harpreet Brar dismissed Jason Roy, four runs in the over and got Jason Roy out, and that was the only over he bowled on the night - why? The opposition team is bowling 13 overs of spin, you opted to defend after winning the toss and you had four overs of left-arm spin but you didn't use that."
The reputed commentator added that even Liam Livingstone bowled more overs than the Punjab Kings' left-arm spinner, stating:
"You got Liam Livingstone to bowl two overs and gave only one over to Harpreet Brar. This is the same Harpreet Brar who you didn't give a single over to when you went to Chepauk for the last match."
Brar dismissed Roy and conceded just four runs in the only over he bowled, the eighth over of KKR's innings. However, he wasn't given the ball thereafter, probably due to the plethora of left-handers in the home team's batting lineup.