CSK vs GT, IPL 2023 Final: The entire Narendra Modi Stadium was filled with roars of joy & almost every CSK fan had tears of happiness in their eyes as Dhoni & CO lifted the fifth IPL title. It was not just a win but it was an emotion for CSK fans who wanted Dhoni to end his career on a high note by adding one more IPL title to their kitty. The match ended with a nail-biting finish as Ravindra Jadeja smashed the winning runs for CSK & guided his franchise to a thrilling victory.
The equation read 10 runs off the final over & the victory looked impossible for CSK as Mohit Sharma bowled some brilliant deliveries to put CSK under pressure. Mohit’s tight bowling meant that the batters Shiva, Dube & Jadeja on the crease could score just a run a ball on the first four balls. However, with 10 runs needed off the last two balls, Jadeja displayed his heroics with the bat & scored a six on the penultimate delivery & a four on the last ball to chase the DLS-based target of 171 runs in 15 overs. His last ball heroics helped Chennai to script their name in golden words in the history of IPL.
Sai Sudarshan’s prolific knock helped Gujarat Titans to end their innings at 214 runs
The match began with Chennai winning the toss & opting to bowl first. Batting first, Gujarat Titans got off to a good start as Wriddhiman Saha & Shubam Gill provided a blastic start to the Titans & helped them to post 50 runs in the powerplay overs. However, their powerful stand was soon broken when Gill was dismissed off Ravindra Jadeja’s deliver for 39 runs off 29 balls. But Saha on the other end was going strong with the willow. He got a valuable support from Sudarshan who made his knock count by taking Chennai bowlers to cleaners. Saha went back to the hut after scoring 59 runs off 39 balls with five fours & one six. But Sudarshan on field meant that things were all good for Gujarat. The swashbuckling batter played a valorous knock of 96 runs off 47 balls with eight fours & 6 sixes. Hardik pandya too played a quick cameo of 21 runs off 12 balls. Sudarshan went back to the hut in the 20th over but the damage was already done as Pandya on the crease helped Gujarat to end their innigs on a decent 214 runs score on board. For Chennai Matheesha Pathirana starred with the ball by returning with figures of 2-44.
However there came a twist in the run-chase as rain occured in the first over of the second innings which resulted in the stoppage of play. The play resumed around 12 am with the match reduced to 15 overs with CSK having a task of chasing a DLS based target of 171 runs. They were tasked to yield 10-12 runs in every over & openers Devon Conway & Ruturaj Gaikwad ensured that they maintained the run-rate. The duo scored 72 runs within six overs without losing any wicket. Chennai smashed pacers across the ground on Narendra Modi’s batter-friendly pitch. With pacers looking ineffective in fornt of CSK’s prolific opening attack, Hardik introduced Rashid in the sixth over. But he was taken to cleaners by Gaikwad who scored 17 runs off Rashid’s over. But it was Noor Ahmad who did the trick for Gujarat by dismissing both the openers in the seventh over & reducing CSK to 78-2. Openers dismissal didn’t affect CSK with Shivam Dube & Ajinkya Rahane on the crease. Shivam was trying to settle on crease & kept his knock steady but it was Rahane who came out all blazing guns & kept the run-rate under control. He played a brief cameo of 27 runs off 13 balls with two fours & two sixes. After his dismissal in the 11th over, rayudu took the matters in his hand & played an impactful knock of 19 runs off 8 balls to guide CSK near the target. He smashed two sixes & a four before getting dismissed off Mohit’s delivery in the 13th over.
Evenly poised game was clinched by CSK, thanks to Ravindra Jadeja’s last over heroics
The game still looked both sided with wickets tumbling at regular intervals. MS Dhoni came to bat at No 6 after Rayudu’s dismissal but he couldn’t do much as he got dismissed on the first ball he faced off Mohit Sharma’s delivery. With 21 runs needed off last two overs, Mohammed Shami did the unexpected by conceeding jsut eight runs in the second last over. Hardik then handed the opportunity to bowl the last over to Mohit Sharma & he tried his best to defend the runs by conceeding just three runs in the first four deliveries. With 10 runs needed off last two balls, jadeja proved what he is capable of by scoring 10 runs & winning the fixture on the last ball of the over. In the entire season he failed to deliver with bat but in last he compensated for all average knocks by guiding team to a win. For Gujarat Titans, Mohit Sharma starred with the ball by returning with figures of 3-36. He got a valuable support from Noor Ahmad who returned with figures of 2-17.
CSK vs GT, IPL 2023 Final: After Scenes
The moment Ravindra Jadeja smashed the winning runs, the CSK fans who kept their fingers crossed jumped in joy. While CSK players sitting in teh dugout ran out in joy towards Ravindra jadeja & lifted him up with happiness. MS Dhoni who looked unhappy from his dismissal for a duck finally got a smile on his face. It was a moment of pride for MS Dhoni as it might be his last season in IPL & ending it with a trophy is what every captain desires for. MS Dhoni then put CSK name batch on the trophy as 2023 Champions & the entire team lifted the Trophy with pride & big smiles on their face. All hugged each other, Dhoni clicked pictures with cricketers their wives & children & the celebration continued for long.
Fans were keen to know whether Dhoni will retire after IPL 2023 or he will return back for another season. And giving relief to his fans MS Dhoni stated in the post match presnetation that he will try his best to come back in the next season & lead CSK.
CSK vs GT, IPL 2023 Final: Brief Scores
Brief Scores: Gujarat Titans 214/4 in 20 overs (Sai Sudharsan 96, Wriddhiman Saha 54) lost to Chennai Super Kings 171/5 in 20 overs (Devon Conway 47, Shivam Dube 32*) by 5 wickets (DLS method)
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