IPL 2023 final: Chennai Super Kings win last-ball thriller against Gujarat Titans, win fifth title

AHMEDABAD: Chennai Super Kings overcame a stiff challenge from Gujarat Titans to win the IPL 2023 final and lift the trophy for the record-equalling fifth time in a rain-curtailed game at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad in the early hours of Tuesday. In a humdinger that went down to the wire till the last ball, the CSK chased down the revised target of 171, out of the 215 runs scored by GT, on the final ball. Ravindra Jadeja, turned out to be the saviour for the CSK as he scored 10 runs needed in the last two balls of the 20th over, first with a six over long on and then deflecting the leg-side delivery for a four to long leg on the last ball.

As CSK fans in the stadium and around the world erupted in joy and launched into wild celebrations, the Chennai franchise reached a special milestone, equalling Mumbai Indians’ record of five IPL titles.

The keenly-awaited final, after the play was washed out on the scheduled first day on Sunday, May 29, 2023, went on till 1:40 am on Tuesday after a heavy spell of rain caused a three-hour delay in play.

The skies opened up in the very first over of the CSK chase in response to GT’s score of 214. Though the rain stopped after a while, it took a good three hours for the groundsmen to dry up the outfield and make it fit for play. As the umpires decided to resume the game at 12:15 am on Tuesday, the CSK innings was reduced to 15 overs and the target revised to 171 under the Duckworth Lewis (D/L) method.

Looking determined and not letting the rain distract their focus, the CSK batters went berserk right from the word go. Openers Ruturaj Gaikwad (26 of 16) and Devon Conway (47 of 25) provided the much-needed impetus to give their innings a solid start. However, CSK lost both of them in quick succession after the duo took their team past 50 in just four overs. Noor Ahmed, the Afghan spinner, accounted for both the CSK openers in the space of three balls in the seventh over.

Ajinkya Rahane, who joined Sivam Dube in the middle, continued with the same murderous mood by hitting two sixes, one a delectably timed hit over the midwicket and the other, a lofted shot straight into the sightscreen.

But with the hosts pulling things back admirably, the going only got tough for the CSK batters, especially for Shivam Dube, whose typical hard-hitting timing eluded him on the crucial night. As the asking rate kept creeping up, Rahane paid the price when he attempted an extravagant uppercut and holed out to deep point.

Struggling till then, Shivam Dube then suddenly found his mojo, hitting two towering sixes straight back over bowler Rashid Khan’s head to end the 12th over on a confident note.

Playing his last IPL game, Ambati Rayudu too joined the party by hoisting the first ball of of the 13th over bowled by Mohit Sharma over long off, soon after the strategic timeout. He immediately followed it up with a handsome cover drive for four. And then, came a fabulous six over extra cover from Rayudu’s bat. But the swan song ended the very next ball as he scooped one up in the air for a simple return catch to Mohit Sharma.

Rayudu’s exit brought the talismanic M S Dhoni on to the crease, with the situation tailor-made for him. But he sank a zillion CSK hopes, by playing his first ball straight into the waiting hands of David Miller at point.

Ravindra Jadeja, who came next, denied Mohit Sharma a hattrick. For the next two overs, both Jadeja and Dube laboured hard to run quick singles and twos as the boundaries eluded them. Jadeja had a lucky reprieve on the last ball of the 19th over. He offered a difficult catch with a mistimed hit but to his fortune, it was floored.

Mohit Sharma began bowling the 20th over well, with two precisely timed yorkers making it difficult for the CSK batters to go for big shots. The twist however came on the last two balls as Jadeja, kept his composure and hit a six and a four to have CSK's name inscribed on the IPL trophy for the fifth time.

CSK’s MS Dhoni wins toss, GT posts 214 runs

CSK skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni won the toss and opted to bowl. Having been put into bat, GT began in their typical fashion plundering runs at will. However, when the score was at 67 in 6.5 overs, the home team lost its first wicket in the form of Shubhman Gill. The Gujarat opener, who has been in stupendous form, was stumped off the bowling of CSK’s Ravindra Jadeja, thanks to lightning-fast glove work by M S Dhoni. Gill was out for 39 of 20 balls.

Undeterred, GT’s Wriddhiman Saha and Sai Sudharshan went on the charge, giving the Chennai bowlers no respite to breathe. Saha, who had a subdued season with the bat, scored a quickfire 54 of 39 balls before Deepak Chahar forced the Gujarat opener to nick to Dhoni. It was Sai Sudharshan who stole the thunder, hitting a blistering 96 of 47 balls. His crucial knock contained 6 sixes and 8 fours. With captain Hardik Pandya playing a cameo of 21 of 12 deliveries hitting 2 sixes, Gujarat Titans posted an impressive 214 runs on the board in their allotted 20 overs.