IPL 2023: Aakash Chopra Picks the Top 4 Teams of the Tournament

Former India player turned veteran commentator Aakash Chopra feels that the top four teams in the IPL 2023 points table after the Lucknow Super Giants‘ (LSG) win against the Punjab Kings (PBKS) are likely to retain their spots as well. LSG posted a massive 258-run target for PBKS in Mohali on Friday (April 28) and beat the home team by 56 runs.

The Rajasthan Royals, Lucknow Super Giants, Gujarat Titans and Chennai Super Kings are placed at the top four spots in the points table with 10 points each as well. While talking about LSG’s win against PBKS in a video shared on his YouTube channel, Aakash Chopra said that the IPL 2023 playoff spots might have already been sealed as well, saying:

“Lucknow have come to the second spot. So well done Lucknow. The top four you are seeing, it seems the table will remain like this only, you see less chances of too many changes there but then we shall find out.”

While speaking about the Lucknow Super Giants’ innings, Aakash Chopra added that all their batters were at their explosive best after KL Rahul got out very cheaply, stating:

“Rahul should have got out off the first ball. Atharva Taide dropped a very easy catch but after that the hitting started. Rahul hit a six and then got out. Everyone kept hitting after that. First Kyle Mayers hit, then Ayush Badoni – who was sent up the order, Marcus Stoinis and Nicholas Pooran.”

“It seemed as though book cricket was on” – Aakash Chopra on the Lucknow Super Giants’ stunning batting

However, Marcus Stoinis top-scored for the Lucknow Super Giants with a 40-ball 72. Kyle Mayers (54 off 24), Nicholas Pooran (45 off 19) and Ayush Badoni (43 off 24) also stepped up with the bat as well.

Aakash Chopra also said that the Lucknow Super Giants batters were dealing in fours and sixes. He also added that the PBKS bowlers’ failure also helped LSG post a massive total. Spinner Rahul Chahar (0/29 in four overs) was the only Punjab Kings bowler to have an economy rate of less than 12 as well. Arshdeep Singh and Kagiso Rabada gave away more than 50 runs in their four-over spells as well.

“It seemed as though book cricket was on – fours and sixes one after the other. Whichever bowler was coming was getting hit. They played fewer balls and were hitting at a strike of 200. The opposition bowled four no-balls as well and 18 runs were scored off the free hits too. 257 runs – the second-biggest total of this tournament’s history. The first was 263 and they were standing just next to it,” Aakash Chopra concluded.