Ravindra Jadeja hit a six and four off the final two balls as the Chennai Super Kings won a record-equalling fifth Indian Premier League title on Monday.
MS Dhoni-led CSK chased down their revised target of 171 in 15 overs with five wickets to spare in a rain-hit final which went past 1.30 am local time Tuesday on a reserve day in Ahmedabad following a washout on Sunday.
Dhoni said he will look to return for the next IPL season after he led CSK to victory over Gujarat Titans in what many believed to be his last match.
IPL 2023 Final, GT vs CSK as it happened: Chennai Super Kings clinch fifth title after thriller
New Zealand’s Devon Conway led the chase with his 25-ball 47 before cameos from Ajinkya Rahane (27) and Shivam Dube, who hit an unbeaten 32, set the stage for Jadeja’s heroics.
Needing 13 off the final over, Mohit Sharma bowled four good balls before Jadeja hit the winning runs to trigger wild celebrations at the world’s biggest cricket stadium.
“This is the best time to announce my retirement. But the amount of love I have received all over. The easy thing would be to walk away from here, but the harder thing would be working hard for nine months and try to play another IPL,” said the 41-year-old Dhoni.
“It would be a gift from me, won’t be easy on the body. You do get emotional, the first game at CSK everyone was chanting my name. My eyes were full of water, I needed to take some time off in the dugout.”
Chennai won the title for the fifth time to go level with Mumbai Indians.
Dhoni kept attracting huge crowds across venues this season and over 80,000 fans cheered the veteran, who had recently said he would take a call on his future later this year, in the final.
Playing his 250th IPL match, Dhoni got out for a first-ball duck as he went back to a stunned silence, but he had the last laugh in his 10th appearance in the final as Chennai captain.
Ambati Rayudu also hit a key 19 off eight balls in his last match after he announced his retirement ahead of the final.
Sai Sudharsan smashed 96 off 47 balls to guide Gujarat, a team which won the crown in their debut season last year in the T20 competition and topped the table in this edition, to 214-4.
In-form Gujarat opener Shubman Gill hit a 20-ball 39 and was named most valuable player, earning the orange cap as the leading batsman with 890 runs.
Gujarat pace spearhead Mohammed Shami got the purple cap as the leading bowler for his 28 wickets with teammates Sharma and Afghanistan’s Rashid Khan one behind on 27 each.
Here’s a look at the reactions to CSK’s title win:
𝗖.𝗛.𝗔.𝗠.𝗣.𝗜.𝗢.𝗡.𝗦! 🏆
— IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) May 29, 2023
Chennai Super Kings Captain MS Dhoni receives the #TATAIPL Trophy from BCCI President Roger Binny and BCCI Honorary Secretary @JayShah 👏👏 #CSKvGT | #Final | @msdhoni pic.twitter.com/WP8f3a9mMc
𝗗𝗢 𝗡𝗢𝗧 𝗠𝗜𝗦𝗦!
— IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) May 29, 2023
Two shots of excellence and composure!
Finishing in style, the Ravindra Jadeja way 🙌#TATAIPL | #Final | #CSKvGT pic.twitter.com/EbJPBGGGFu
M.O.O.D! 🤗
— IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) May 29, 2023
Ravindra Jadeja 🤝 MS Dhoni#TATAIPL | #Final | #CSKvGT | @imjadeja | @msdhoni pic.twitter.com/uggbDA4sFd
RAVINDRA JADEJA 🔥🔥
— IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) May 29, 2023
TAKE. A. BOW 🫡🫡#TATAIPL | #Final | #CSKvGT | @imjadeja pic.twitter.com/7gyAt62hdn
AB5️⃣OLUTE EMOTIONS! 🥹🫂#IPL2023Final #CSKvGT #WhistlePodu #Yellove 🦁
— Chennai Super Kings (@ChennaiIPL) May 29, 2023
The beauty of CSK's win & MSD's aura is that Dhoni being dismissed off the first ball was of absolutely no consequence to anyone.
— Joy Bhattacharjya (@joybhattacharj) May 29, 2023
He could get 5 ducks in 5 innings and fans would still worship him.
MSD has gone beyond being judged by numbers and one-off performances!
Naseeb Ka dhani @msdhoni well done Csk 👏. Jadeja you beauty. Rayudu that’s the way to retire what a player you have been 👏
— Irfan Pathan (@IrfanPathan) May 29, 2023
Most successful franchise in the history of IPL, 5 time champions! Congratulations @chennaiipl and @msdhoni #WhistlePodu
— S.Badrinath (@s_badrinath) May 29, 2023
FIFTH TITLE!! 😍 What an exciting end to this @IPL season!! What nerves!! What thrill!! The Gujarat boy @imjadeja does it for #CSK!! Big big congratulations @ChennaiIPL 🥳💛 #Yellove #IPL2023Finals
— Robin Aiyuda Uthappa (@robbieuthappa) May 29, 2023
Unreal tournament! Well done CSK👏
— AB de Villiers (@ABdeVilliers17) May 29, 2023
A finale spreading over 3 days was worth the wait. A brilliant end to a phenomenal campaign. Congratulations @ChennaiIPL for winning #IPL2023Final! Tough luck @gujarat_titans! @JioCinema #TATAIPL
— Anil Kumble (@anilkumble1074) May 29, 2023
A privilege to be there at the end with @RaviShastriOfc & @irbishi. Two great callers of the game! 🙏🏽
— Kevin Pietersen🦏 (@KP24) May 29, 2023
Congrats CSK & thank you to every single person who was a part of this seasons IPL! 👊🏽 pic.twitter.com/RW1DHRnmo0
So so proud to have been part of this one giant family called CSK! The victory is a culmination of a splendid journey. Many more to come. #GTvsCSK pic.twitter.com/zzTzEkefbq
— Suresh Raina🇮🇳 (@ImRaina) May 29, 2023
First IPL title for Rahane in his career after losing 3 finals.
— Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) May 30, 2023
He is enjoying with his family, he played a huge impact for CSK. pic.twitter.com/7ahIMNc5xE
MS Dhoni, smiling, laughing and celebrating a win immediately is not an everyday picture. An IPL final worth every bit the wait after all the delay! And Ravindra Jadeja pulling off the unlikely at the end. What a game! What a season for CSK! #IPL2023Final #IPL2023 #CSKvGT
— S. Sudarshanan (@Sudarshanan7) May 29, 2023
IPL final day 3. What a wild, wild finish! #IPL2023Finals
— Susan Ninan (@ninansusan) May 29, 2023
Rayudu's absolutely priceless innings, a fitting end to an IPL legend. Showed everyone Mohit can be taken down, set the tone.
— Prashanth S (@ps_it_is) May 29, 2023
6 - @RayuduAmbati has joined Rohit Sharma to become the player to have won most @IPL titles (six times); he has won three each with Mumbai Indians (2013, 2015, 2017) and Chennai Super Kings (2018, 2021, 2023). Champion.#TATAIPL #IPL2023 #Final #CSKvGT
— OptaJeev (@OptaJeev) May 29, 2023
#IPL2023
— The Field (@thefield_in) May 29, 2023
Six IPL titles for Ambati Rayudu! He joins Rohit Sharma at the top of the list.
And he bows out in style, with a superb cameo. pic.twitter.com/mcKgMNtJj5
Cannot possibly remember the last time Dhoni lifting anyone after a victory. This season, he has been something else.
— Sa. Gomesh | ச. கோமேஷ் (@SaGomesh) May 29, 2023
As for Jadeja, surely Shane Warne would be smiling from above. #IPL2023
PS- Incredible incredible camerawork this from broadcasters!pic.twitter.com/j2xguY6zLd
Congratulations on a glorious career @RayuduAmbati bhai, and what a high note to retire on 🙌
— Surya Kumar Yadav (@surya_14kumar) May 29, 2023
Wish you all the very best for the next phase 🤗 pic.twitter.com/GFrQwOeuCv
Ahmedabad turns yellow! pic.twitter.com/YpVZTJ7y4r
— Sa. Gomesh | ச. கோமேஷ் (@SaGomesh) May 29, 2023
Congratulations @ChennaiIPL. You are a great franchise. And I say so after speaking to the players who always seem to think they are given a fair deal, even through last year's campaign. A 5th title is huge
— Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) May 29, 2023
Appreciation from Dhoni to Mohit. That really was a great final over till those two deliveries. What a story anyway, to have the season he had. https://t.co/iD7XxiqYAb pic.twitter.com/s31gCPOwDs
— Vinayakk (@vinayakkm) May 29, 2023
Ahmedabad is one big party. Strangers, absolute strangers in the stands, hugging each other. Doesn't matter which stand they're in, colour of the jersey is immaterial. They're all celebrating. Happy tears for some. No one wants to leave. Incredible scenes. 2am.
— Shashank Kishore (@captainshanky) May 29, 2023