'Has a bright future...': Former Pakistan captain Wasim Akram heaps massive praise on CSK star

Former Pakistan cricket captain, Wasim Akram, recently commended Chennai Super Kings (CSK) batsman, Ruturaj Gaikwad, for his impressive performance in the Indian Premier League (IPL). Gaikwad, who is only 26 years old, has shown great potential and promise, leading Akram to predict a bright future for the young cricketer.

Throughout the IPL season, Gaikwad proved his worth by accumulating a total of 590 runs. In the IPL 2023 final against the Gujarat Titans, he played a crucial role in his team's victory by scoring a quickfire 26, which gave them a flying start in the chase.

Akram believes that Gaikwad's consistent performances in both the IPL and domestic cricket make him a significant prospect for the Indian team in the future. 

"He came up with an excellent performance under pressure. The plus with him is that he is physically very fit. He is a very good fielder and is young as well. Gaikwad has a bright future when it comes to Indian cricket as well as the franchises he plays for," Akram said on Sportskeeda.

In the IPL 2023 final, the legendary MS Dhoni led Chennai Super Kings (CSK) to a record-equalling fifth title against the formidable Gujarat Titans. This match was highly anticipated as many believed it would be Dhoni's last.

The final was a rain-hit affair that went past 1.30 am local time on a reserve day in Ahmedabad, following a washout on Sunday. Ravindra Jadeja's heroics in the final over sealed the victory for CSK, as he hit a six and a four off the last two balls to chase down their revised target of 171 in just 15 overs with five wickets to spare.

The chase was led by New Zealand's Devon Conway, who scored a blistering 25-ball 47. Ajinkya Rahane and Shivam Dube also played crucial cameos, scoring 27 and an unbeaten 32 respectively, setting the stage for Jadeja's match-winning performance.

In the final over, Mohit Sharma bowled four good balls, leaving CSK needing 13 runs off the last two balls. However, Jadeja held his nerve and hit the winning runs, triggering wild celebrations at the world's biggest cricket stadium.

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