IPL 2023 Finals: Chennai Super Kings beat Gujarat Titans in a last ball thriller.
Chennai
Super Kings defeated Gujarat Titans in a thrilling contest during rain
curtailed match played at full house Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad that went
on the midnight of 30th May 2023.
CSK captain
MS Dhoni won the toss on the reserve day and elected to bowl first. Shubman
Gill was given a reprieve as Deepak Chahar dropped a simple chance. Wriddhiman
Saha looked in great touch putting pressure on the CSK bowlers. Gill showed
intent against Desphande hitting him for big shots. Gill was severe against
Theekshana keeping the momentum going. Deepak Chahar dropped another chance off
Saha. At the end of first six overs, Gujarat openers raced away to 62 for 0.
Ravindra
Jadeja was bought into the attack and got rid of Gill with quickfire stumping
by MS Dhoni. Gill and Saha added 67 runs for the opening wicket. Sai Sudharsan came
to the crease and took a few balls to settle. Chennai Super Kings made 80 for 1
at end of first timeout.
Saha showed
his class with some lovely shots and kept the scoreboard ticking. Sai looked a
little cautious before launching an attack on CSK bowlers. Saha completed his
fifty off 36 deliveries. He was eventually dismissed by Chahar with a good high
catch by Dhoni. Sai and Saha added 64 runs for the 2nd wicket.
At the end
of second timeout, GT scored 131 for 2. Sai completed his fifty off 33
deliveries and upped his ante with big shots against CSK bowlers. It was
brilliant hitting by Sai keeping the scoreboard ticking as Hardik Pandya made valuable
contributions. Maheesh Pathirana produced superb yorker to dismiss Sai. Sai and
Hardik added 81 runs for the 3rd wicket. He then got rid of Rashid
Khan in the final over. Gujarat Titans posted mammoth total of 214 for 4 in 20
overs.
Gaikwad began
with a lovely boundary against Shami before the match was interrupted due to
heavy rain and target was revised to 171 off 15 overs via DLS method. Ruturaj
Gaikwad and Devon Conway began the innings with lovely shots against Gujarat
Titans bowlers with flurry of boundaries. CSK openers took the attack to Rashid
Khan in his first over. At the end of field restrictions, Gaikwad and Conway made
52 for 0.
Conway and
Gaikwad kept the pressure on GT bowlers with attacking shots. Noor Ahmad got
the breakthrough getting rid of Gaikwad and Conway in the same over. At the end
of first timeout, CSK openers made 72 for 0. Soon after, Noor Ahmad struck
twice getting wickets of Gaikwad and Conway. CSK openers put on 74 runs laying a
strong foundation.
Shivam Dube
came to the crease and struggled initially against disciplined GT bowling.
Ajiyanka Rahane looked in cracking touch with two lovely sixes off Joshua
Little. Rahane then smashed a lovely boundary to keep CSK on the front-foot. Mohit
Sharma struck dismissing Rahane as Vijay Shankar took good catch. Rahane and
Dube added 39 runs for the 3rd wicket. Ambati Rayudu showed his
class smashing Mohit Sharma with 2 sixes and 1 four to change momentum in favor
of CSK. At the end of 2nd timeout, CSK made 133 for 3.
After the
timeout, Mohit Sharma got wickets of Rayudu with a simple return catch and then
MS Dhoni off successive deliveries. Rayudu and Dube added 32 runs for the 4th
wicket.
Mohammed
Shami bowled a stunning over giving away just 7 runs in the 14th over.
Mohit Sharma nailed 4 brilliant yorkers against Jadeja and Dube. With 10 runs
required from 2 deliveries, Jadeja hit a six to make it 4 off 1 delivery. He
then hit a boundary off final delivery to help CSK win the IPL title for the 5th
time in a thrilling contest.
CSK 171 for
5 in 15 overs (Conway 47, Dube 32*, Mohit Sharma 3/36, Noor Ahmad 2/17) beat GT
214 for 4 in 20 overs (Sai Sudharsan 96, Wriddhiman Saha 54, Pathirana 2/44) by
5 wickets via DLS method.
For his 96
off 47 deliveries, Sai Sudarshan was named the player of the match. CSK won
their 5th title under the captaincy of MS Dhoni.
Comments