MS Dhoni's Chennai Super Kings defeated the Gujarat Titans in a heart-stopping final of the IPL 2023 at the Narendra Modi Stadium. Former CSK captain Jadeja stood tall in one of the hardest moments of not just this game but any he would have played. With 10 runs needed off the final 2 balls, Jadeja smoked red-hot Mohit Sharma for a six and a four to take Chennai home and win their record levelling fifth title in the Indian cash-rich league.
The final over drama
The final over was given to one of the most dependable bowlers - Mohit Sharma. He had 13 runs to defend in front of Jadeja and Shivam Dube. Sharma was spot on with his deadly yorkers as he gave just 3 runs off the first 4 balls. The game looked over and gone for CSK. But then he overcooked a yorker as a slot bowl and Jadeja sent it for a six. He then bowled one onto the pads and the batter found enough to slice it past fine leg and take the team to a famous win in one of the most thrilling finals of a T20 game.
The game was shortened as rain intervened in CSK's chase. They made 4 runs off the first 3 balls and then the heavens gate opened up. But the chase finally resumed at 12:10 AM on May 30 as we had three days for this T20 game. Devon Conway and Ruturaj Gaikwad made a blistering start to the chase as Chennai collected 52 runs off the first 4 overs of the powerplay. They then kept pushing the pedal to take CSK to 72/0 after 5 but then Noor Ahmad produced his web of spin. The Afghanistani spinner sent both the CSK batters back to the hut in the space of 4 balls.
Rahane plays a fiery cameo but CSK pegged back
Rahane came. Rahane went all guns blazing. He cleared his intent on the second ball he faced and smoked Joshua Little for a six and then again hit half a dozen in the same over. Rahane's cameo came to an end with a Mohit Sharma slower ball. Sharma and Noor helped peg CSK back. CSK required 53 off the final 24 balls and then 50 off 20 as GT looked set for a win. But then Rayudu and Dube smoked a few sixes to take the equation 22 needed off 15 balls. But then Mohit Sharma got the wickets of Rayudu and MS Dhoni, who departed off the first ball. 8 runs came off the second last over and 13 were needed off the final one.
The record-breaking Titans batting
The Titans made a record 214 runs on the board as they toyed with the CSK bowlers. Sai Sudharsan and Wriddhiman Saha's fifties kept GT in the driver's seat. The start was well-powered by in form Shubman Gill and Saha. He was dropped by Deepak Chahar as early as he was on 3 and then he put Saha down on his own bowling. Soon Ravindra Jadeja missed a chance to run Gill out but then Jadeja and Dhoni combined to send Gill back with the wicket-keeper's lightning-fast glove work. Meanwhile Saha continued to plunder runs as he hit another fifty plus socre in an IPL final.
Sudharsan makes batting look easy
Sai Sudharsan came in at 3. He was not quick to race off the blocks as he made 10 from the first 10 balls. But when he took off, he made batting look such an easy thing to do. He took Theekshana to cleaners in the 15th over before hitting Pathirana for consecutive boundaries and then taking Deshpande for four boundaries in the 17th over. Meanwhile, Hardik Pandya provided his impetus a bit and hit 21 off 12 to send Titans to the highest score ever in an IPL final