From a stormy start to a storybook finish – how CSK snatched glory off the final ball in Ahmedabad
There’s something surreal about watching a game of cricket stretch into the next day. Not because of extra overs or endless delays, but because fate just couldn’t make up its mind.
On the night of May 28 and into the early hours of May 30, 2023, Ahmedabad bore witness to a final that had it all – rain, nerves, drama, and a finale that felt like it had been scripted by the cricketing gods themselves.
But let’s not rush. Like any great story, this one deserves to be told from the top, one boundary at a time.
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If Chennai Super Kings were dreaming of a fairytale finish, Gujarat Titans gave them a proper jolt. On a flat pitch and in front of a packed house at the Narendra Modi Stadium, GT made it rain runs before the real rain even arrived.
Shubman Gill gave them a blazing start – 39 off 20 balls. Wriddhiman Saha played the anchor, his 54 from 39 keeping the wheels turning. But it was young Sai Sudharsan who cracked open the game. His 96 off 47 balls, laced with 8 fours and 6 sixes, looked destined for a hundred until Matheesha Pathirana pinned him lbw with just 3 balls to go.
Still, the Titans posted a monster: 214/4 in 20 overs. It felt more than enough, especially in a final. After all, pressure doesn’t just shrink chases – it swallows them whole.
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But cricket had other plans. Rain arrived, and so did calculations. The target shrank from 215 in 20 overs to 171 in 15. Fewer overs, same pressure. For CSK, this meant flying out of the blocks.
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Ruturaj Gaikwad and Devon Conway emerged like men on a mission. Conway, in particular, didn’t linger – his 47 off just 25 balls maintained the high tempo. The duo put together 74 runs in 6.3 overs before Gaikwad fell, and soon after, Conway followed suit.
Ajinkya Rahane rolled back the years with a brisk 27 off 13 balls, and Ambati Rayudu delivered a punchy cameo – 19 off 8, before both were out in the same over. Then came the twist: MS Dhoni – golden duck.
From needing 21 off 14 balls, CSK now required 13 off the final over, with Dhoni gone and no boundaries in the last 13 balls. With all his skill and determination, Mohit Sharma conceded just 3 runs in 4 balls.
10 off 2. Game over, right?
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Not quite. Ravindra Jadeja had other ideas. Mohit bowled full. Jadeja went straighter. Six, dead straight. Silence, then roars.
On the next ball, Mohit aimed for the wide yorker. Jadeja didn’t reach for it – he waited. And whipped it past short fine leg. Four.
CSK is now level with Mumbai Indians, with five titles, all thanks to a finish that turned grown men into statues and stadiums into cauldrons.
At 1:35 AM, as Jadeja struck the winning four, the stadium didn’t erupt—it exploded. The rain had arrived, the pitch had changed, but the outcome was written in yellow ink.
As Dhoni wrapped Jadeja in an embrace and lifted him off the ground, it felt like a baton was being passed. Not officially, not yet. But in spirit.
This iconic gesture encapsulated a journey filled with triumphs, setbacks, and unforgettable moments, leaving an indelible mark on the hearts of fans.
Could this be the pinnacle of IPL finales? The answer, resoundingly, lies in the legacy they’ve forged together.
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