IPL 2021: Aakash Chopra shares his predictions for the CSKvsKKR Final

Former Indian cricketer Aakash Chopra has put forth his predictions for the 2021 IPL final between Chennai Super Kings and Kolkata Knight Riders to be played on Friday, October 15 at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium. The MS Dhoni-led Super Kings will be going in to the game after they beat the Delhi Capitals at the same venue in the Qualifier 1 on Sunday, October 10.

Dhoni smashed three fours in the last over to take the Yellow Army home with two balls to spare. Prior to that, CSK slumped to a hat-trick of losses in the league stage. They finished second on the points table below the Delhi Capitals, who have already been knocked out following their loss in the Qualifier 2 against the Knight Riders at the Sharjah Cricket Ground on Wednesday.

Chopra said that the openers will score more runs than the middle-order. Faf du Plessis, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Venkatesh Iyer and Shubman Gill are likely to be the four opening batters for the encounter.

Aakash Chopra puts forth his opinions

“Four openers to score more runs than No.3 and No.4,” Chopra was quoted as saying on his official YouTube channel.

Chopra reckoned the Hazlewood and Ferguson won’t be conceding a whole lot of runs in the upcoming encounter. As per the veteran, they shouldn’t be going at over 7.5 runs per over. “Hazlewood and Ferguson to concede less than 60 runs together,” he said.

Chopra was of the opinion that Dinesh Karthik and MS Dhoni won’t score over a combined tally of 30 runs. “Both keepers to score less than 30 runs,” Chopra stated.

Last, but not the least, Chopra backed the Super Kings to come out trumps. “Chennai to win,” he added. In the league stage, CSK defeated the Men in Gold and Purple both times. In their previous meeting in Abu Dhabi, the game went right down to the last ball where Deepak Chahar hit Sunil Narine for a single to take the Super Kings home.

As far as KKR are concerned, they defeated Rajasthan Royals, Royal Challengers Bangalore and Capitals in three consecutive games in Sharjah. But conditions in Dubai are expected to be slightly different and Eoin Morgan’s men need to be on their toes.