IPL 2023, Qualifier 1: Gaikwad's splendid knock sees CSK to the final vs GT; fans hopeful of title conquest
IPL 2023: Chennai Super Kings conquered Gujarat Titans by 30 runs in Chennai on Tuesday to sail into the final. Ruturaj Gaikwad's elegant knock of 60 was enough for the former to post a defendable total, as fans got hopeful of a title win.
FollowIt was another magnificent outing from four-time former champion Chennai Super Kings (CSK) against defending champion Gujarat Titans (GT) in Qualifier 1 of the 2023 Indian Premier League (IPL) playoff. Playing at the MA Chidambaram (Chapek) Stadium in Chennai, the former clicked across departments to secure a 15-run victory and a place in the final for the tenth time, the most by any IPL side, while fans remained hopeful of a title-success.
After winning the coin toss, GT opted to field, as CSK began on a terrific note, with openers Ruturaj Gaikwad (60) and Devon Conway (40) putting on an 87-run stand before the former was the first man to depart in the 11th over to senior seamer Mohammed Shami, having struck his 14th IPL half-century.
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After going down to 90/2 by the subsequent over, Gaikwad and Ajinkya Rahane (17) added 32 for the third wicket before the latter fell prey to pacer Darshan Nalkande in the 15th. Thereon, Chennai struggled to get the right partnership going, and as it lost regular wickets after around every 20-odd runs, it settled for a par total of 172/7.
For Gujarat, seamers Shami and Mohit Sharma clutched a couple each, whereas the former was quite economical. Before its chase, Vijay Shankar came as the Impact Player, replacing the latter, while pacer Matheesha Pathirana replaced Shivam Dube (1) for the bowling side.
The Titans began on a precarious note, losing a couple for 41 by the sixth over of the PowerPlay. Nonetheless, opener Shubman Gill (42) and Dasun Shanaka (17) added 31 for the third wicket before the latter was dismissed by leg-spinner Ravindra Jadeja in the 11th. Suddenly, there was a break in momentum, as they lost three quick wickets and were down to 98/6 by the 15th, while Gill was the fifth wicket to fall in the 14th to seamer Deepak Chahar.
Vijay Shankar (14) and Rashid Khan (30*) tried to provide some fightback with a 38-run stand for the seventh wicket before Pathirana dismissed the former in the 18th, with Gaikwad pulling off a stupendous catch in the deep mid-wicket. Eventually, GT was shot out for 157 by the final ball, as CSK got the job done by 15 runs. For the winner, pacers Maheesh Theekshana and Pathirana, along with Jadeja, grabbed a couple each, whereas the latter was greatly economical.
