For the first time ever, the IPL Final spilled across three calendar days – and it was worth every second
What do you do when an IPL final begins one day, skips past midnight, and culminates with a trophy lift in the early hours of the next? You remember it forever. That's what occurred in Ahmedabad on May 29, 2023. A game scheduled for the 28th was rudely interrupted by rain, forcing a historic shift—the first time an IPL final had to be rescheduled due to weather.
Even when play resumed the next day, the rain returned. The Gujarat Titans had already posted a daunting 214 for 4—the highest total ever in an IPL final. But Chennai's reply was delayed by over an hour, necessitating a DLS twist. The new target? 171 from just 15 overs. A thriller had been set up. And it didn't disappoint.
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In pursuit of their second consecutive IPL trophy, the Gujarat Titans batted exceptionally well. Sai Sudharsan owned the night, smashing 96 off 47 balls. He didn't merely build an innings—he tore apart the CSK bowling attack. Sudharsan's timing was sublime, his placement perfect, and his acceleration lethal.
With Wriddhiman Saha contributing 54 and some muscle from Hardik Pandya at the end, Gujarat finished at 214. It was a record, a warning, and a challenge. The Titans had played their part. Now it was up to the Super Kings.
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After more rain and further waiting, the target was reset. CSK had to chase 171 in 15 overs. It was a stiff task, but Devon Conway and Ruturaj Gaikwad gave them a cracking start—74 in just 6.3 overs. Conway top-scored with 47 off 25, threading gaps like a surgeon.
However, things slowed down. Noor Ahmad spun a web—three overs, two wickets, just 17 runs. Rashid Khan also kept the lid on until Shivam Dube broke free, launching two sixes off him to keep CSK alive. Yet, tension began to creep in.
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Playing his final IPL match, Ambati Rayudu walked in with CSK needing 72 from 36 balls. In just eight deliveries, he smashed 19—6, 4, 6—turning the match like a magician pulling rabbits. Then came heartbreak. He fell. Then Dhoni, too, for a golden duck.
Ahmedabad went silent. For a moment, it felt over. The equation came down to 13 off the last over. And Mohit Sharma? He bowled four near-perfect deliveries, conceding only 3 runs.
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But Sir Ravindra Jadeja needed only the last two. A near yorker from Mohit was whipped straight back for six. Then, the final ball—another yorker attempt, this one drifting into a low full toss—was flicked past short fine leg for four. CSK had done it. Off the very last ball. With no margin to spare.
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Jadeja faced six balls and scored 15 runs. With those final strikes, CSK lifted their fifth IPL title, joining Mumbai Indians at the top. The final spanned three calendar days, 210 balls, and millions of heartbeats.
Streaming figures soared, with 32 million concurrent viewers on JioCinema, making it the most-watched livestream in Indian digital history. However, what people truly remember isn't just the numbers; it's the silence before the last two balls and the noise that followed.
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For CSK fans, this wasn't just a win; it was a miracle wrapped in rain, delivered by Jadeja and sealed in gold by Dhoni's embrace.
