The Chennai Super Kings (CSK) became the five-time IPL champions as they defeated Gujarat Titans (GT) by 5 wickets via DLS method in the IPL 2023 final at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on May 30, 2023.
The match was scheduled to take place on May 28, Sunday, but torrential rain ruined the event, forcing the crucial match to a reserve day.
MS Dhoni won the toss and decided to bowl first since he knew the Ahmedabad surface was good for chasing with the rain and dew present. The seasoned CSK keeper-batter, MS Dhoni, is leading a side for the 226th time in the IPL and playing in his 250th IPL game overall, which is a record.
Before being caught by MS Dhoni off Ravindra Jadeja, Shubman Gill had scored 39 runs and had amassed 890 runs throughout 17 games for the IPL 2023. For the first wicket, he contributed 67 runs with Wriddhiman Saha.
Saha then hit 54 in 39 balls with his bat. Then Sai Sudharsan took over as he smacked 96 runs with 6 sixes and 8 fours in just 47 balls and looked good for a ton before getting LBW to Matheesha Pathirana in the last over.
Hardik’s 12-ball 21* took GT to a massive 214/4 in 20 overs.
In reply, the CSK innings was halted for two hours due to rain and they got a revised target of 171 runs in 15 overs. Openers Devon Conway (47) and Ruturaj Gaikwad (26) gave a flying start to CSK adding 74 runs in 6.3 overs.
But Noor Ahmad dismissed both of them and then it was the game of cameos for the CSK batters. Ajinkya Rahane made 27 in 13 balls, Ambati Rayudu made 19 in 8 balls in his final IPL innings and Shivam Dube remained not out on 32 in 21 balls.
Mohit Sharma then hit big in the 13th over after being hit for 2 sixes and one four, but removed Rayudu (19 in 8 balls) and MS Dhoni for a golden duck. He was also tasked to defend the runs in the last over and did a good job of giving 3 runs in the first four balls.
Ravindra Jadeja proved to be the hero as he hammered a six and a four off the last two balls when 10 were needed to make CSK victors by 5 wickets in hand via the DLS method. Mohit Sharma finished with 3/36, while Noor Ahmad took 2/17.
This meant that CSK became the IPL 2023 champions and equaled MI’s record of five IPL trophies under the captaincy of MS Dhoni.
One of the wishes the CSK team received after they won the final and their fifth title was Virat Kohli, who did so by posting on his Instagram story.
Not only were the CSK unit and their fans in Ahmedabad ecstatic, but the cricket fraternity on Twitter was over the moon as well.
Here are some tweets:
