IPL 2023 Final: Ravindra Jadeja Spectacular Finish Leads Chennai Super Kings to 5-Wicket Victory over Gujarat Titans, Securing their 5th Title.

In a thrilling encounter at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, Ravindra Jadeja played a heroic role in securing Chennai Super Kings’ fifth IPL title. With 10 runs needed off the last two balls, Jadeja displayed a grandstand finish, smashing a six followed by a four, leading CSK to a five-wicket victory (DLS Method) over the defending champions, Gujarat Titans.

Jadeja’s remarkable innings of 15 runs off just 6 balls proved to be the game-changer. It complemented the valuable contributions from Devon Conway (47 off 25), Ruturaj Gaikwad (26 off 16), and Shivam Dube (32* off 21). Ajinkya Rahane (27 off 13) and Ambati Rayudu (19 off 8) also played their part in CSK’s pursuit of 171 runs in the rain-shortened IPL final, which was reduced to 15 overs.

Earlier, Sai Sudharsan stole the spotlight with a stunning display on the big stage, scoring an impressive 96 off 47 deliveries. Supported by Wriddhiman Saha (54 off 39) and Shubman Gill (39 off 20), Sudharsan propelled the Gujarat Titans to a mammoth total of 214/4 before rain intervened and forced the match to be curtailed.

During CSK’s chase of 171 runs in 15 overs, Ruturaj Gaikwad and Devon Conway provided a flying start. Gaikwad showcased his skills with an elegant square drive for a four off the third ball from Mohd. Shami. However, rain interrupted play, leading to a revised target for CSK. They had to chase down 171 runs within the reduced playing conditions, which included a four-over Powerplay and a maximum of three overs for each bowler.

As the game resumed, Ruturaj Gaikwad continued his aggressive approach by cracking another four in the interrupted first over. He elegantly pulled the ball through backward square leg, adding 10 runs to the scoreboard. Devon Conway joined the party immediately, lofting a six over extra cover off Hardik Pandya in the second over and following it up with a well-timed shot to the fine leg boundary for a four. In the next over, Conway took on Shami, smashing two more boundaries and accumulating 11 runs.

Hardik Pandya introduced Rashid Khan into the attack early, but the CSK batsman wasted no time in attacking him as well. They hit a couple of fours and a six, propelling CSK to a score of 52/0 at the end of the Powerplay (after four overs).

Noor Ahmad bowled an impressive first over, conceding only six runs. However, Josh Little’s first over proved expensive, giving away 14 runs as Conway thumped a powerful pull shot over deep mid-wicket on the last ball of the sixth over.

The impressive Noor Ahmad provided the much-needed breakthrough for the Gujarat Titans, breaking the 74-run opening partnership by dismissing Ruturaj Gaikwad (26 off 16) with a well-executed wrong’un. CSK then sent out Shivam Dube as their Impact Player at the No.3 position, replacing Matheesha Pathirana. Noor struck again on the final ball of the over, having Conway (47 off 25) caught at long off, putting CSK under pressure.

Ajinkya Rahane made his entrance and immediately showcased his batting prowess by hitting two exquisite sixes off Josh Little, resulting in a fruitful 16-run over for CSK. However, Noor Ahmad balanced the scales with another brilliant over, conceding just five runs. He finished with impressive figures of 3-0-17-2.

Ajinkya Rahane regained the momentum with a couple of well-timed fours off Rashid, bringing the required equation down to 60 runs off 30 balls.

In the 11th over, Mohit Sharma entered the attack and made an immediate impact by claiming the crucial wicket of Rahane (27 off 13), caught at deep point off a slower delivery. Mohit bowled a fantastic over, conceding only six runs, bringing the equation to 53 runs needed off 24 balls.

Rashid bowled four impressive deliveries in the 12th over, allowing only three runs. However, Shivam Dube finally found his rhythm and unleashed two consecutive sixes, accumulating 15 runs off the over and ending it on a high note. Ambati Rayudu, playing in his last IPL match, joined the party by launching the first ball of the 13th over from Mohit over long off for a six. He followed it up with a boundary through extra cover and another six. However, Mohit retaliated strongly, taking Rayudu’s catch and dismissing him, bowled off the next ball. In a roller-coaster over, Mohit also claimed the wicket of MS Dhoni, having him caught at extra cover. The over yielded 17 runs and two wickets, leaving CSK with 21 runs required off 12 balls.

Mohammad Shami delivered an excellent penultimate over, conceding just eight runs. With 13 runs needed off the final over, the experienced Mohit executed four consecutive yorkers and allowed only three runs. With 10 runs required off two balls, the momentum shifted once again as Mohit missed his mark, and Ravindra Jadeja hammered a six over long-on. Requiring four runs off the last ball, Mohit bowled a low full toss down the leg side, and Jadeja flicked it to the fine leg boundary, securing a victory for CSK and igniting exuberant celebrations.

In the opening stages, Chennai Super Kings’ captain, MS Dhoni, won the toss and chose to bowl. They made one change to their starting lineup, replacing Shivam Dube with Matheesha Pathirana. The four-time champions named Shivam Dube, Mitchell Santner, Subhranshu Senapati, Sheikh Rasheed, and Akash Singh as their substitutes.

On the other hand, Gujarat Titans named an unchanged eleven, with Josh Little, KS Bharat, Odean Smith, Sai Kishore, and Shivam Mavi included in their list of substitutes.

Chennai Super Kings had a promising start with disciplined and accurate bowling. They had opportunities to dismiss both the openers within the Powerplay. The four-time champions didn’t concede any boundaries in the first two overs. In the second over, Deepak Chahar dropped a chance at backward square leg as Shubman Gill flicked one uppishly, missing an early dismissal for Gujarat Titans off Tushar Deshpande.

In the following over, Wriddhiman Saha took charge and hit a six and a four, followed by a lofted shot over cover, accumulating 16 runs off Chahar’s over. Gill capitalized on the dropped catch and joined the scoring spree, punishing Deshpande with three delightful fours: a short-arm jab through mid-wicket, a flick through mid-wicket, and an elegant extra cover drive. Saha had a stroke of luck in the next over when he hit one back to Chahar, who couldn’t hold on to a challenging chance off his own bowling.

MS Dhoni then introduced spin through Mahesh Theekshana in the sixth over, and Gill attacked immediately, smashing three consecutive fours, taking the Gujarat Titans’ score to 62/0 at the end of the Powerplay.

Saha survived two run-out chances, getting lucky on two occasions, but MS Dhoni showcased his brilliance by swiftly stumping the dangerous Gill off Ravindra Jadeja’s delivery in the same over.

Jadeja played a pivotal role in helping Chennai Super Kings make a comeback by maintaining tight control and conceding only 24 runs in the next four overs. Gujarat Titans reached 86/1 at the halfway mark.

Sai Sudharsan provided some relief for the Gujarat Titans, striking two well-placed fours through the offside off Matheesha Pathirana, resulting in a 13-run over. Saha reached his fifty off 36 balls with a four off Jadeja, and Sudharsan followed it up with a six over mid-wicket.

In the 14th over, Dhoni brought back Chahar, and the CSK pacer broke the 65-run partnership by having Saha caught behind with a slower ball. Saha (54 off 39) top-edged his pull shot off a leg cutter. However, Sudharsan remained undeterred and launched a counter-attack, hitting a couple of sixes off Theekshana in the next over. He reached his third fifty of the season by cracking a boundary through backward point off Pathirana. Sudharsan followed it up with a flicked four wide of mid-on, scoring 10 runs in the oven. In the subsequent over off Deshpande, Sudharsan unleashed his aggression, striking three fours and a six, accumulating 20 runs. Pathirana managed to balance things slightly by not conceding a boundary and giving away nine runs in the 18th over.

Captain Pandya and Sudharsan continued their assault in the penultimate over against Deshpande, hitting a couple of sixes and a four, adding 18 runs to take Gujarat Titans’ total to 200. Sudharsan began the final over with two superb sixes but fell four runs short of his century as he was trapped LBW by Pathirana off the next delivery. He reviewed the decision, but the Ball Tracking replays confirmed all three reds. The young batsman left the field to a standing ovation for his magnificent innings. Pathirana then dismissed Rashid Khan off the last ball, as Gujarat Titans scored 14 runs in the final over, reaching a total of 214/4.

In the second innings, Gujarat Titans introduced Josh Little as their Impact Player, replacing Sai Sudharsan.

Brief Scores: Chennai Super Kings 171/5 (Devon Conway 47, Shivam Dube 32*; Mohit Sharma 3/36) beat Gujarat Titans 214/4 (Sai Sudharsan 96, Wriddhiman Saha 54; Matheesha Pathirana 2/44) by 5 wickets (DLS Method).