Former Indian opener Aakash Chopra has made a bold claim amid the ODI World Cup 2023 edition in India. Chopra feels there could be an India versus New Zealand final in the ongoing 2023 edition. The former Indian cricketer made the remark after the Kiwis won their fourth game on the trot, beating Afghanistan by 149 runs in match 16 on Wednesday (Oct 18) in Chennai. 

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he Kane Williamson-less Kiwis have been on a roll in the current edition. The Black Caps have won their opening four games and will now take on India on Sunday (Oct 22) in Dharamshala. They entered the ten-team tournament with several injury concerns. Regular captain Kane Williamson missed the first two games (with a knee injury), played the third and is once again out of action with a thumb injury. Meanwhile, Tim Southee is yet to play — also dealing with a thumb injury. However, the Black Caps continue to win and move forward courtesy of contributions from Mitchell Santner, stand-in skipper Tom Latham, Matt Henry, Devon Conway, Rachin Ravindra, etc.

‘Not a big deal that it could be an India-New Zealand final’

Thus, Chopra said on his YouTube channel, “They are an amazing team and I feel it’s not a big deal that it could be an India-New Zealand final. They have won four out of four and the semi-final berth is almost confirmed. It is such a good team that it doesn’t make a difference to them whether Kane (Williamson) is there or not. They figure out a way to win.”

New Zealand were struggling at 110 for 4 after being 109 for 1, being asked to bat by the Afghans in Chennai. Nonetheless, Glenn Phillips (71) and Latham (68) and Mark Chapman (12-ball 25*) took them to 288 for 6 after Will Young (54) set the tone for the side. With the ball, Santner and Lockie Ferguson’s three-fers each dismissed the Afghans for 139 in 34.4 overs. 

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Chopra lauded Kiwis for managing a mini-collapse and feels they are finding players who can bail them out of crisis regularly. He opined, “Kane wasn’t there and there was a collapse in the middle, Azmatullah Omarzai dismissed two players in an over, but Tom Latham and Glenn Phillips came there. Will Young was there with Rachin Ravindra at the start. Conway also scored a few runs. Once you reach 280-plus, runs are not scored that easily here.”

The former Indian opener also praised Kiwis bowling attack and added, “In bowling, Trent Boult with the new ball and Matt Henry with his incoming delivery. Lockie Ferguson is actually breathing fire. The guy bowls amazingly well. He dismisses batters by scaring and threatening them.”

Despite all the injury crisis, the Tom Latham-led NZ have kept the winning run intact and are one of the strongest contenders to life the title, after missing out in the 2015 and 2019 editions by a whisker (ending as runners-up twice). 

Meanwhile, Rohit Sharma-led India are also on fire with three straight wins and have locked horns with Bangladesh on Thursday (Oct 19) at the MCA Stadium in Pune. They will next meet New Zealand on Sunday in Dharamshala.

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