Dhoni Equals Rohit’s Record as CSK Clinches Fifth IPL Title | All the Interesting and Exciting Stats from IPL 2023
In a thrilling finale that had fans on the edge of their seats, the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) emerged victorious, clinching their fifth Indian Premier League (IPL) title. The match, which was delayed due to rain, witnessed numerous twists and turns before reaching a nail-biting climax. Ravindra Jadeja played a crucial role in securing the win for CSK with a six and a four off the last two balls. Let’s delve into the numbers that truly matter and explore some interesting statistics and fun facts from this memorable IPL final.
CSK’s Remarkable Title Haul
With their victory in the 2023 IPL final, the Chennai Super Kings joined the Mumbai Indians at the top of the table, both teams now boasting an impressive five IPL titles each. This triumph also marked CSK’s seventh title in all T20 tournaments, putting them on par with Mumbai and the Titans from South Africa. Only the Sialkot Stallions, with eight titles, have a better record in the T20 format.
MS Dhoni’s Record-Breaking Captaincy
A major highlight of this IPL season was MS Dhoni’s exceptional captaincy, which saw him lift his fifth IPL trophy. Dhoni now shares the title of the most successful captain in the history of the league with Rohit Sharma. However, it’s worth noting that Rohit has achieved this feat with six titles, one of which was as the captain of the Deccan Chargers. Another player who matched Rohit’s record of six titles as a player was Ambati Rayudu, who won with both Mumbai Indians and CSK.
Thrilling Last-Ball Victory
The final ball of the match saw CSK requiring four runs to clinch the title, and they managed to achieve it in a breathtaking fashion. This was only the third instance in T20 history where a team successfully chased down four or more runs off the last ball. The first such instance occurred during the 2018 Nidahas Trophy final when India needed five runs against Bangladesh, ultimately winning with a six from Dinesh Karthik. The second occurrence took place in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy final in 2021, when Shahrukh Khan hit a six to secure victory for Tamil Nadu against Karnataka.
Qualifiers’ Impact on Title Winners
In an interesting trend, the team that has emerged victorious in the first qualifier of the IPL playoffs has gone on to win the title for six consecutive seasons. Out of the 13 seasons under the playoffs format, which commenced in 2011, the first qualifier winners have triumphed in ten seasons. Exceptions to this trend include Mumbai Indians in 2013 and 2017, who won the title after securing victory in the second qualifier, and Sunrisers Hyderabad in 2016, who won the IPL title after playing in the Eliminator.
Jadeja and Dhoni’s Unbeaten Streaks
Ravindra Jadeja’s unbeaten knock in the final once again demonstrated his prowess as a finisher. He finished unbeaten in a successful IPL chase for the 26th time, placing him second on the list behind MS Dhoni, who has achieved this feat 27 times.
Gujarat Titans’ Dominance in the Wicket-Takers’ List
An extraordinary record was set this season as three bowlers from the Gujarat Titans occupied the top three spots in the highest wicket-takers list. Mohammed Shami led the pack with 28 wickets, followed closely by Rashid Khan and Mohit Sharma, both with 27 wickets. This marks the first instance in IPL history where the top three wicket-takers in a season have all represented the same team. The only other instance of this occurring in any T20 tournament (with ten or more matches played) was during the Ram Slam T20 Challenge in 2012-13, where all the top four wicket-takers were from the Lions.
Ajinkya Rahane’s Impressive Strike Rate
Ajinkya Rahane showcased his attacking prowess against pace bowlers in this IPL season, amassing 165 runs off just 71 balls at a stunning strike rate of 232.39. This exceptional strike rate ranks third among all batters in a single season (minimum 100 runs against pacers). The top two spots belong to Tim David, who scored 154 runs at a strike rate of 252.45 last year, and James Faulkner, who struck 136 runs at a rate of 242.85 in 2014.
Highest Total in a Losing Cause
Gujarat Titans set a formidable target of 214 for 4 against CSK in the final, the highest total by any team in an IPL final that ended up on the losing side. The previous record was held by the Royal Challengers Bangalore, who scored 200 for 7 in the 2016 IPL final against the Sunrisers Hyderabad in a chase of 209 runs.
Individual Performances in the Final
B Sai Sudharsan’s outstanding innings of 96 off 47 balls was the third-highest individual score in an IPL final. This remarkable knock included six sixes and made Sudharsan the second-youngest player, at the age of 21 years and 226 days, to score a fifty in an IPL final. Among bowlers, Tushar Deshpande endured a difficult day, conceding 56 runs in his four overs, which ties him for the second-most runs conceded by a bowler in an IPL final.
Top Run-Scorers and Titans’ Dominance
Shubman Gill’s impressive batting display this season saw him accumulate 890 runs, securing the second-highest aggregate for a single IPL season. Only Virat Kohli’s remarkable tally of 973 runs in IPL 2016 surpasses Gill’s achievement. Additionally, the Titans’ team managed to score five 200-plus totals throughout IPL 2023, all of which were achieved in Ahmedabad.
