IND vs NZ: Aakash Chopra Believes Australia, Pakistan, And England Will Compete For Fourth Spot To Advance To Semifinals
Published - 22 Oct 2023, 12:55 PM | Updated - 23 Aug 2024, 10:00 AM
Former Indian cricketer Aakash Chopra shared his thoughts on the top four teams advancing to the semifinals of the ICC World Cup 2023. Aakash Chopra stated that New Zealand, India, and South Africa have displayed exceptional performances in the event.
Team India and New Zealand are the only undefeated teams in the tournament, with South Africa securing three victories out of four games. Meanwhile, Australia, England, and Pakistan face significant challenges in reaching the semifinals, given their multiple defeats.
Top 3 Teams Have Looked Cut Above The Rest – Aakash Chopra
Aakash Chopra took to his social media handle (formerly known as Twitter) to predict that Australia, England, and Pakistan are competing to secure a spot in the 2023 ODI World Cup semifinals.
“Top 3 teams have looked cut above the rest and are likely to occupy these slots till the end…positions might change but will be shocking if one of India-NZ-SA doesn’t qualify for SF. So…the tussle will be between Australia, Pakistan and England to reach the top-4,” Chopra tweeted.
Aakash Chopra’s statement came after the South African team’s massive 229-run victory against England at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on Saturday, October 21. The Proteas team bounced back dominantly despite a shocking defeat to the Netherlands.
The marquee tournament is played in a round-robin format, where each team competes against the other nine teams. Teams need to win at least seven matches to advance to the semi-finals. However, it’s possible to advance with six points if they have a better NRR.
Heinrich Klaasen Is A Better Batter At The Moment – Aakash Chopra
In a video shared on his YouTube channel, Aakash Chopra praised Heinrich Klaasen as the best middle-order batter in the world at the moment, highlighting his outstanding performance.
“No one missed Temba Bavuma except for England, because Reeza Hendricks played so well. I don’t think there is a better batter than Klaasen in his position in the world at the moment.”
“England’s bowling looked below par. They also ditched their all-rounder theory by dropping Livingstone, Curran and Woakes,” Chopra added.
The Proteas posted a commanding total of 399 runs after being asked to bat first. Heinrich Klaasen played a remarkable innings, scoring 109 runs off 67 deliveries. Jos Buttler-led England were bowled out for a total of 170 runs in 22 overs.
Also read: NED vs SL: Aakash Chopra Believes South Africa Can Beat Australia, But The Netherlands…
