Aakash Chopra Praises Sunil Narine's Masterclass as KKR Keep Playoff Hopes Alive in IPL 2026

'Hallmark of a master': Aakash Chopra lauds Sunil Narine after KKR keep playoff hopes alive

New Delhi, May 21

With their playoff hopes hanging by a thread, KKR produced a disciplined all-round performance at Eden Gardens to stay alive in the race. Narine played a central role in restricting Mumbai to 147/8 on a difficult two-paced surface, finishing with miserly figures of 4-1-13-1 and removing MI skipper Hardik Pandya at a key stage of the innings.

Speaking about Narine's continued dominance in the IPL, Chopra highlighted the spinner's remarkable control over length and trajectory, qualities that have troubled batters for years across conditions and venues.

"He's brilliant. These are the conditions he relishes, but he's equally effective everywhere he's played this season and in seasons gone by. His length is impeccable. You can't hit him off the back foot. He's flat and slightly quicker through the air, where you can't really step down. You won't see him getting clobbered by people stepping down or hitting off the back foot. He bowls in that five-to-seven-metre mark every time, a very difficult trajectory to pick," Chopra told JioStar.

Narine's spell proved especially important after rain interrupted Mumbai's innings at 57/4 in eight overs. Following the restart, KKR tightened their grip through spin, with Narine and Varun Chakravarthy squeezing the middle overs and denying Mumbai any momentum.

Chopra also praised Narine's ability to bounce back immediately even after conceding boundaries, calling it one of the defining traits of elite bowlers.

"Then he's got the variations and the accuracy. One thing that stands out is that when you hit him for a four or a six, he comes back with an equally effective delivery to follow up. And that's the hallmark of a master," he stated.

KKR eventually chased down the target with four wickets in hand, thanks largely to a composed 45 from Manish Pandey and a counterattacking 40 from Rovman Powell. The result kept Kolkata mathematically alive in the playoff race heading into their final league-stage fixture.

Chopra also reflected on the wider playoff picture and the pressure on teams still battling for qualification spots. Discussing Punjab Kings and their final league game against Lucknow Super Giants, he said PBKS would continue pushing aggressively despite the odds stacked against them.

"It's not going to be easy, but they would want to fight and come back into the tournament. You get to 15 points, you improve your net run rate, even if it's ever so slightly. And they play that aggressive brand of cricket," Chopra said.

Punjab's qualification chances remain dependent not only on their own result, but also on other outcomes, particularly involving Rajasthan Royals. Chopra pointed out that teams like Punjab, Kolkata and even Chennai Super Kings would all be watching Rajasthan's final fixture closely.

"If it were up to them, they would go hammer and tongs and get that net run rate as high as possible. They just need to win the last game, but again, we've been saying that for the last six games.

"Of course, they'll also have to hope that Rajasthan lose. Punjab, KKR, or even CSK need Rajasthan to lose that last one for their chances to even be entertained," he noted.

— IANS