IPL Final: CSK stun GT to clinch fifth title

Chennai Super Kings (CSK) once again displayed why they are one of the best teams in the Indian Premier League (IPL), as they defeated Gujarat Titans (GT) by five-wickets in a rain-shortened final at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, in the early hours of Tuesday (30 May).

This was CSK’s fifth IPL title, equalling the record set by their El Clasico rivals Mumbai Indians (MI).

Earlier, CSK won the toss and opted to field first. Both Shubman Gill and Wriddhiman Saha got off to a brisk start, forging 67 runs for the first wicket before Ravindra Jadeja dismissed the in-form Shubman for 39. Shubman, who was earlier, dropped by Deepak Chahar, fell victim to an impressive MS Dhoni stumping after facing a deceptive spinning delivery against Jadeja.

However, Shubman’s dismissal was no problem for the defending champions. In came Sai Sudharsan at number three, who would go onto play an aggressive knock of 96 off just 47 deliveries. Once Gill was dismissed, Sudharsan took the responsibility to lead the team from the front, and help them post 214/4 from 20 overs.

Sudharsan was involved in a 64-run stand with Wriddhiman Saha and an 81-run partnership with Hardik Pandya, as he gave the CSK bowlers a tough time in the middle.

Sudharsan was finally dismissed by Matheesha Pathirana, one of CSK’s most influential bowlers this season. It was just short of a yorker from the Sri Lankan, Sudharsan tried to play it across the line, but the ball went onto ping the front pad, and eventually hit in front of middle stump, as the tracker displayed.

CSK were handed a mammoth target of 215 from 20 overs, but just three balls into their chase, rain played spoilsport just like on Sunday, and the players were forced off the field. The match was halted for more than an hour due to rain, and later a wet outfield, but play restarted at 12.10 am IST with a revised target of 171 from 15 overs.

Ruturaj Gaikwad and Devon Conway, whose combined partnership runs read 775 before this match, opened in some fashion, forging 74 runs for the first wicket.

Noor Ahmad struck twice in the seventh over, removing both the openers in a span of three deliveries.

Shivam Dube and Ajinkya Rahane forged 39 off 23 deliveries for the third wicket to revive hopes, but Rahane fell to Mohit Sharma, after a 13-ball cameo of 27.

Dube, who has had quite a productive season with the bat, continued doing what he does best-slamming sixes, as he hit a couple of maximums off Rashid Khan in the 12^th over.

Ambati Rayudu, playing his final match of his IPL career, played a short but sweet cameo of  19 off eight balls that included one four and two sixes, but it was MS Dhoni’s golden duck that eventually silenced the crowd at the Narendra Modi Stadium.

Mohit Sharma was the one once again, who this time got the wicket of CSK skipper, with a full delivery on off. Dhoni was looking for the straight drive, but he eventually was caught by David Miller at short extra cover.

With 21 runs needed off 12 balls, Jadeja joined Dube in the middle. Mohammed Shami was brought to bowl the 14^th over, and did well to give away eight off the over, with just one boundary in it.

Mohit Sharma, with three wickets to his name, bowled the final over, with CSK needing 13. He began with a perfect yorker to Dube, which the latter could do nothing much about, and followed it up with yet another brilliant yorker where Dube collected just a single.

The equation was down to 10 runs off two balls, and the onus relied on Jadeja. Jadeja, man for the major moments, then followed it up with a maximum, launched towards long on to bring the equation further down to four off one ball.

In the final ball, Jadeja miraculously finished things for CSK, finishing with a four towards the left of the short fine boundary.

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