The Chennai Super Kings produced a phenomenal campaign last year today, May 29, to win their fifth Indian Premier League trophy. The Whistle Podu squad did not have the best of campaigns in 2024. However, under the leadership of Mahendra Singh Dhoni, the Yellow side were the team to beat last season.
Chennai made history in 2023 by becoming only the second team after Mumbai Indians to lift the trophy five times in history.
WATCH: CSK WINNING MOMENTS
This moment is ♾️#IPL2023Final #CSKvGT #WhistlePodu #Yellove pic.twitter.com/6BCgehszxy— Chennai Super Kings (@ChennaiIPL) May 29, 2023
Chennai clashed against the Gujarat Titans a day later than the initially decided date. The match was previously supposed to be played on May 28 but rainfall led to the final being delayed by one day.
Competing at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, MS Dhoni won the toss and elected to bowl first. The duo of Wriddhiman Saha and Shubman Gill began the proceedings for Gujarat, stitching together a partnership of 67 runs within seven overs.
Chennai’s decision to bowl first seemed more wrong by the minute as the runs kept pouring in for the 2022 winners.
Sai Sudharsan was unstoppable in the match, as he amassed a 47-ball 96. He smashed eight boundaries and six maximums in the half to help the Gujarat Titans breach the 200-run mark. He was eventually dismissed in a lbw affair on a delivery from Matheesha Pathirana.
Things still didn’t stabilise for the Whistle Podu squad as Gujarat skipper Hardik Pandya added a quick 12-ball 21 to set a target of 214 runs.
The second half witnessed more rainfall which caused the original target of 214 to be shortened down to 171 in 15 overs using the DLS method. Chennai didn’t seem to be flustered by the mammoth total thanks to an early 74-run partnership between Ruturaj Gaikwad and Devon Conway.
The first dicey moment for the Dhoni-led side came in the seventh over when Gujarat pacer Noor Ahmad sent both Chennai openers packing, making way for Ajinkya Rahane.
The veteran Indian batter read the situation perfectly well as he made a 27-run effort while maintaining the required run-rate.
Ajinkya Rahane and Ambati Rayudu were eventually dismissed by Mohit Sharma but the real shock came moments later after the Gujarat pacer scalped MS Dhoni at a golden duck.
Chennai still didn’t lose hope as Ravindra Jadeja was still on the pitch. As the game approached the closing moments, Chennai needed 10 runs in the last two balls of regulation. The experienced all-rounder then performed the unthinkable as he smashed the penultimate ball for six before finishing off the game with a boundary to seal a fifth crown.
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