Interesting numbers from CSK's title-winning IPL 2023 campaign
MS Dhoni's Chennai Super Kings (CSK) won a record-breaking fifth Indian Premier League (IPL) title on Monday after defeating Gujarat Titans in the final. The Yellow Army won on the final ball as Ravindra Jadeja smashed a title-winning boundary. They chased down a revised target of 171 after rain interrupted play. With this, Dhoni became just the second captain to win five IPL titles.
CSK own seven T20 titles
As stated, CSK now have five IPL trophies in their cabinet, the joint-most with Mumbai Indians (MI). Overall, it was CSK's seventh title in all T20 tournaments (two in the now-defunct Champions League T20). They have equaled MI and South Africa's Titans in this regard. The three teams are only behind Sialkot Stallions, who own eight T20 titles.
Only player to win five IPL titles with CSK
Dhoni is the only player to win five IPL titles with CSK. Suresh Raina, Dwayne Bravo, Ravindra Jadeja, Ambati Rayudu, and Deepak Chahar are the only players to have clinched three titles with the Yellow Army.
Nine titles in T20 cricket
Dhoni has now won as many as nine titles in T20 cricket - 2007 T20 World Cup, IPL 2010, CL T20 2010, IPL 2011, CL T20 2014, Asia Cup 2016, IPL 2018, IPL 2021, and IPL 2023.
Second-most runs for CSK in a season
Devon Conway continued his sublime run in the final as well. He came out all guns blazing and ended up with a 25-ball 47 (4 fours and 2 sixes). The left-handed batter slammed 672 runs in IPL 2023 at an average of 51.69. Conway now has the second-most runs for CSK in an IPL season, only behind Michael Hussey (733).
Rayudu won his sixth IPL title
Indian batter Ambati Rayudu finally bid adieu to the IPL after the final. The right-handed batter announced the same on Twitter on the eve of the IPL 2023 final. He mentioned that the final would be his career's last IPL match. Rayudu claimed his sixth IPL title as CSK beat the Titans. He equaled Rohit Sharma as the player with most IPL titles (6).
Rahane struck at over 232 against pacers
The 2023 IPL season saw the resurgence of Ajinkya Rahane. The injury of Ben Stokes gave Rahane an extended run. Rahane didn't disappoint and struck the pacers at a staggering 232.39, the third-highest for any batter in a season (minimum 100 runs vs pacers). Rahane slammed 165 runs off 71 balls against the seamers in IPL 2023, getting dismissed only twice.
A rarity in T20 a final
This was just the third instance of a team chasing four or more runs on the last ball of a T20 final. India required five runs on the last ball of the 2018 Nidahas Trophy final against Bangladesh. Dinesh Karthik's six drove India to victory. In the 2021 Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy final against Karnataka, Shahrukh Khan struck a six in a similar situation.
Jadeja finished with a bang!
Jadeja smashed a six and a four to help CSK chase 10 on the final two balls. This was the 26th time that Jadeja finished unbeaten in a successful IPL chase. He is only Dhoni, who has been unbeaten 27 times.
