Ruturaj Gaikwad starred with the bat as he hit a flamboyant 60(44) to lay the platform. Ambati Rayudu (17 off 9)...
Ruturaj Gaikwad starred with the bat as he hit a flamboyant 60(44) to lay the platform. Ambati Rayudu (17 off 9) and Ravindra Jadeja (22 off 16) then played brisk knocks to provide crucial late flourish and take CSK to a competitive 172/7. Ravindra Jadeja (2/18) and Maheesh Theekshana (2/28) then spun a web around the GT batters with spin, pace and bounce as a collective bowling effort saw CSK bowl GT out for 157 and cruise into their 10th IPL final.
Chasing 173, Gujarat Titans got off to a mixed start as they lost Wriddhiman Saha inside the Powerplay and would have had Shubman Gill back in the hut too but Deepak Chahar couldn't hold on to a tough catch at mid on. In between the opening pair cracked a couple of fours and a six. Hardik Pandya got going with a brilliant drive on the up through cover-point for a four and Gill hit another marvellous flick for the second four in the next over from Tushar Deshpande as the pair took 10 off it. Dhoni then introduced Maheesh Theekshana in the sixth over and he struck to have GT captain Pandya caught at backward point. GT reached 41/2 at the end of the Powerplay.
MATCH STATS
| Powerplay | Overs 1-6 |
|---|---|
| CSK- 49/0 (8.1 rpo, 6x4, 1x6) | GT- 41/2 (6.9 rpo, 5x4, 1x6) |
| Middle Overs | Overs 7-15 |
| CSK- 76/3 (8.4 rpo, 6x4, 1x6) | GT- 61/4 (6.7 rpo, 3x4, 1x6) |
| Death Overs | Overs 16-20 |
| CSK- 47/4 (9.4 rpo, 2x4, 3x6) | GT- 55/4 (11.0 rpo, 5x4, 3x6) |
HIGHLIGHTS
Chennai Super King became the first team in the history of IPL to qualify in the finals for the 10th time. Batting first, it was once again the opening pair of CSK that did the maximum damage. A partnership of 87 set the tone for the middle order on a tricky track which assisted the slow bowlers. As the game progressed the pitch slowed down and it proved to be tough for Gujarat batters to catch up the score.
A target of 173 seemed even bigger with CSK spinners maintaining tight lines. Ravindra Jadeja was the pick of the lot with figures of 2/18 at an economy of 4.5 runs per over. Shubham Gill showed a lot of grit with the score of 42 of 38 balls, but with the rising scoreboard pressure Deepak Chahar succumbed at a crucial time. Chennai today raised their fielding standards in crunch moments. Finally, the Super Kings have a win over the Titans and what better time than in a qualifier contest? CSK will play the finals on 28th May at The Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.
GT ran out of balls and lost the match, in short of 16 runs for a victory.
WHAT THEY SAID!
" I think the bowlers were quite spot-on, but we made some basic mistakes that cost us the game. With the kind of bowlers we had, I felt we conceded 10-15 extra runs. A lot of things we did right. We bowled a couple of softballs in between. We were good at executing our plans and then in between we gave some extra runs. I don't think we need to look much into it. We have to play two days later, we have to play one more game to make sure we reach the final. "
Hardik Pandya, GT Skipper
" IPL is too big to say it's just another final. Used to be 8 top teams, now it's 10 teams. I won't say it's just another final. It's hard work of 2 months. Everybody has contributed. Yes, middle-order has not got ample opportunity. Gujarat Titans are a fantastic team and they've chased very well, so the thought was to get them in. But it was a good toss to lose. If Jadeja gets conditions that help him. he's very difficult to hit. His bowling changed the game. Not to forget his partnership with Moeen. We try to create an environment and work out what is the strength of a fast bowler. We try to give them confidence and tell them 'Please try to explore your bowling'. We try to motivate them as much as possible. The support staff is there, and Bravo and Eric are there. You see the wicket and according to that, you keep adjusting the field. I can be a very annoying captain, I keep shifting fielders 2-3 feet. The only request I ask from the fielders is, to keep an eye on me. If there's a dropped catch there will be no reaction, just keep an eye on me. I don't know. I have 8-9 months to decide. Why take that headache now? I will always be there for CSK, where it's playing or something outside. "
MS Dhoni, CSK Skipper
" Last three-four games in Chennai have been different. First few games wicket was better. But we have had to adapt to the conditions. Keep rotating strike, capitalize on loose balls. I have been lucky to have partners like Faf and Conway. both are great players. Faf was someone who was aggressive from the very go whereas Conway has great batsmanship. I would say the knock of 60 runs was more satisfying than the catch I took. "
Ruturaj Gaikwad, Man of the match
Video Highlights of the Match
Current Standings of IPL Season 4 - 2023, after Qualifier 1 - Match 71 of 74
| No | Teams | P | W | L | T | NR | PTS | NRR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Gujarat Titans (Q) | 14 | 10 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 20 | +0.809 |
| 2 | Chennai Super Kings (Q) | 14 | 8 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 17 | +0.652 |
| 3 | Lucknow Super Giants (Q) | 14 | 8 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 17 | +0.284 |
| 4 | Mumbai Indians (Q) | 14 | 8 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 16 | -0.044 |
| 5 | Rajasthan Royals | 14 | 7 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 14 | +0.148 |
| 6 | Royal Challengers Bangalore | 14 | 7 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 14 | +0.135 |
| 7 | Kolkata Knight Riders | 14 | 6 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 12 | -0.239 |
| 8 | Punjab Kings | 14 | 6 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 12 | -0.304 |
| 9 | Delhi Capitals | 14 | 5 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 10 | -0.808 |
| 10 | Sunrisers Hyderabad | 14 | 4 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 8 | -0.590 |
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