Monday, 18 Nov 2024
Indian Premier League

IPL 2023, CSK vs GT: Stats you must know

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IPL 2023, CSK vs GT: Stats you must know
Gujarat Titans’ Noor Ahmad (C) celebrates with teammates after taking the wicket of Chennai Super Kings’ Devon Conway (not pictured) during the Indian Premier League (IPL) Twenty20 final cricket match between Gujarat Titans and Chennai Super Kings at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on May 30, 2023. (Photo by Sajjad HUSSAIN / AFP) (Photo by SAJJAD HUSSAIN/AFP via Getty Images)

The IPL 2023 final, delayed by more than 24 hours, provided an exhilarating spectacle as Chennai Super Kings (CSK) emerged victorious, claiming their fifth IPL title. The match witnessed several twists and turns, including rain interruptions and last-ball drama. Here are the key numbers that defined this thrilling encounter.

  1. CSK’s Historic Milestone: With their fifth IPL title, Chennai Super Kings joined Mumbai Indians as the joint-most successful team in the history of the tournament. CSK’s victory also marked their seventh title in all T20 tournaments, placing them on par with Mumbai Indians and Titans, and only behind Sialkot Stallions (8).
  2. Captaincy Records for MS Dhoni: MS Dhoni, CSK’s iconic captain, now shares the record for most IPL titles as a captain with Rohit Sharma. Both have secured five titles. Rohit, however, has won an additional title as a player, totaling six, a feat matched by Ambati Rayudu on the final night.
  3. Thrilling Final Ball Finish: CSK needed four runs on the final ball to clinch the title, and they did so in dramatic fashion. Only two previous instances existed of teams chasing four or more runs on the last ball of a T20 final. India accomplished it in the 2018 Nidahas Trophy final, and Shahrukh Khan did the same for Tamil Nadu in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy final in 2021.
  4. First Qualifier Advantage: The team winning the first qualifier has now won six consecutive IPL titles. In the playoffs format introduced in 2011, the first qualifier winners have triumphed in ten out of thirteen seasons. Mumbai Indians, in 2013 and 2017, won the title after winning the second qualifier, while Sunrisers Hyderabad claimed victory in 2016 after starting from the Eliminator match.
  5. Ravindra Jadeja’s Finishing Prowess: Ravindra Jadeja finished unbeaten in a successful IPL chase on 26 occasions, the second-highest in IPL history, only behind MS Dhoni’s 27 unbeaten finishes.
  6. Gujarat Titans’ Bowling Dominance: Three bowlers from Gujarat Titans – Mohammed Shami, Rashid Khan, and Mohit Sharma – occupied the top three spots in the list of highest wicket-takers for the season. This marks the first instance in IPL history where the top three wicket-takers have all represented the same team.
  7. Ajinkya Rahane’s Impressive Strike Rate: Ajinkya Rahane boasted a strike rate of 232.39 against pace bowlers in IPL 2023, ranking as the third-highest for any batter in a season (minimum 100 runs against pacers). Rahane’s ability to score quickly against quick bowlers proved vital for his team’s success.
  8. Highest Losing Total in a T20 Final: Gujarat Titans’ total of 214 for 4 against CSK became the highest by any team in a T20 tournament final to end up on the losing side. The previous highest was 200 for 7 by Royal Challengers Bangalore in the 2016 IPL final against Sunrisers Hyderabad.
  9. B Sai Sudharsan’s Heroics: Sudharsan’s 96 runs off 47 balls in the final became the third-highest individual score in an IPL final, behind Shane Watson’s 117* in 2018 and Wriddhiman Saha’s 115* in 2014. Sudharsan’s blistering strike rate of 300 in his last 20 balls propelled his team’s total.
  10. Youngest Player to Score a Fifty in an IPL Final: Sudharsan, at the age of 21 years and 226 days, became the second-youngest player to score a half-century in an IPL final.
  11. Unfortunate Bowling Figures: Tushar Deshpande endured a difficult outing, conceding 56 runs in his four overs, joint-second most runs conceded by a bowler in an IPL final. The record stands at 61 runs conceded by Shane Watson in the 2016 final against Sunrisers Hyderabad.
  12. Outstanding Season for Shubman Gill: Shubman Gill amassed 890 runs in IPL 2023, securing the second-highest aggregate for a single season, behind Virat Kohli’s 973 in IPL 2016.
  13. Titans’ High Scoring Feats: Gujarat Titans registered five 200-plus totals in IPL 2023, all achieved at their home ground in Ahmedabad.

In a final that delivered thrilling moments and astonishing performances, Chennai Super Kings emerged as the champions, etching their name alongside Mumbai Indians as the most successful teams in IPL history. The 2023 IPL final will be remembered for its intensity, last-ball heroics, and remarkable individual contributions, providing fans with an unforgettable spectacle.