"Avesh gave 4 and Nortje gave 25" - Aakash Chopra lauds Avesh Khan's final over in Rajasthan Royals' IPL 2024 win vs Delhi Capitals

Aakash Chopra has lauded Rajasthan Royals (RR) seamer Avesh Khan for bowling an exceptional match-winning final over and an excellent overall spell in their IPL 2024 clash against the Delhi Capitals (DC).

DC pacer Anrich Nortje conceded 25 runs in the final over as RR set the visitors a 186-run target in Jaipur on Thursday, March 28. Avesh then returned figures of 1/29 in four overs and conceded only four singles in the last over as the home team registered a 12-run win.

In a video shared on his YouTube channel, Chopra picked Rajasthan Royals' Riyan Parag (84* off 45) as the first standout performer in Thursday's game. Choosing Avesh as the second star performer, he said (12:50):

"I am slightly 50-50 about the second performer I want to choose. Who should I go with because Mitchell Marsh and David Warner scored runs, and then Tristan Stubbs in the end? However, since Rajasthan won this match, let me go with Avesh Khan. How well he is bowling. It's been two successive games."

"He gave only four runs in the last over. 17 runs were required for a win and he had 16 to defend and he gave only four runs in the final over. Imagine, Avesh gave four and Nortje gave 25. It wasn't just the last over. Before that also, whenever he bowled, first dismissed David Warner and bowled at the right spot," the former India opener added.

Chopra noted that the Rajasthan Royals' move to trade in Avesh from the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) ahead of the IPL 2024 auction is yielding them rich dividends. He also praised the franchise for sticking to their set plans, citing the example of their bowlers consistently bowling wide yorkers once they decided to do so.

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"I am split" - Aakash Chopra on the third star performer in Rajasthan Royals' win vs Delhi Capitals

Nandre Burger gave the Rajasthan Royals their first two breakthroughs. [P/C: iplt20.com]

Aakash Chopra chose Yuzvendra Chahal ahead of Nandre Burger, Sandeep Sharma and Ravichandran Ashwin as the third standout performer for the Rajasthan Royals.

"The third performer - now again I am split. It could be Nandre Burger at the start. He first hit Mitchell Marsh's stumps and got Ricky Bhui out with a bouncer. It could be Sandeep Sharma, who gave four singles after being hit for a six and a four off the first two balls of the 19th over," he observed (13:55).

"Ravichandran Ashwin - he came in as a pinch-hitter and scored crucial runs and would have dismissed Tristan Stubbs had Trent Boult taken the catch. But I am going with Yuzi. He bowled three overs, conceded 19 runs, and picked up two wickets - Risbhabh Pant and Abhishek Porel. He dismissed two left-handers and could have bowled the fourth over as well," Chopra added.

While Avesh Khan dismissed David Warner, Burger and Chahal shared the other four Delhi Capitals wickets that fell. While the left-arm pacer got rid of Mitchell Marsh and Ricky Bhui in the fourth over, the leg-spinner accounted for Rishabh Pant and Abhishek Porel in the 14th and 16th overs respectively.