In a nail-biting encounter at Ahmedabad on Monday, the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) emerged victorious over the Gujarat Titans (GT) by five wickets on the final ball of the match, securing their fifth Indian Premier League (IPL) title. A commendable partnership between Devon Conway and Ruturaj Gaikwad, along with valuable contributions from Shivam Dube and Ravindra Jadeja, propelled CSK to a memorable victory.
The match, which was interrupted by rain, resumed as a 15-over contest, with CSK chasing a revised target of 171 runs. Openers Conway and Gaikwad displayed remarkable composure as they propelled CSK to a strong start. At the end of the powerplay, CSK had reached 52/0 after four overs, with Conway on 27* and Gaikwad on 23*.
In the seventh over, Noor Ahmed provided the breakthrough for Gujarat by dismissing Gaikwad for 26 runs off 16 deliveries. Despite this setback, CSK maintained their momentum, with Conway falling just four runs short of a half-century, caught by Mohit Sharma off Noor Ahmed’s bowling. CSK found themselves at 78/2 after seven overs.
Ajinkya Rahane injected some impetus into CSK’s innings with two sixes in an over, contributing to a strong partnership with Dube. CSK reached the 100-run mark in 9.1 overs and were 112/2 at the end of 10 overs, with Dube and Rahane at the crease. However, Mohit Sharma struck again, dismissing Rahane for 27 runs off 13 balls.
Amid mounting pressure, Ambati Rayadu joined Dube in the middle and played a crucial role in reducing the required run rate. Dube’s back-to-back sixes in the 12th over further narrowed the deficit. Rayadu followed suit in the next over, amassing 16 runs in just three balls. However, Mohit Sharma had the last laugh as he dismissed Rayadu for 19 runs off eight balls.
With MS Dhoni stepping in and being dismissed for a first-ball duck, CSK faced a challenging task. Nonetheless, Dube and Jadeja displayed nerves of steel, and their composed batting sealed the victory for CSK. Jadeja struck a boundary on the final ball of the match, propelling CSK to a thrilling five-wicket win.
Mohit Sharma was the standout bowler for GT, taking three wickets for 36 runs in his four overs. Noor Ahmed also impressed with figures of 2/17.
Earlier in the match, Gujarat Titans set a formidable target of 215 runs for CSK, courtesy of Sai Sudharsan’s exceptional knock of 96 runs off 47 deliveries and Wriddhiman Saha’s well-constructed 54 runs off 39 balls. Despite the efforts of Matheesha Pathirana, Deepak Chahar, and Ravindra Jadeja, who took wickets at crucial intervals, GT managed to reach 214/4 in their allotted 20 overs.
In conclusion, the final of IPL 2023 witnessed a thrilling contest between CSK and GT, with CSK emerging as deserving champions. The match showcased exceptional performances from various players and served as a fitting culmination to a highly competitive season of the IPL.
Read Also : IPL 2023: Gujarat Titans beat Mumbai Indians to enter 2nd consecutive final
Follow us : Twitter
