IPL 2023, Qualifier 1: GT elect to field against CSK
Chennai Super Kings (CSK) will take on defending champions Gujarat Titans (GT) in Qualifier 1 of the 2023 Indian Premier League (IPL) season on May 23. Although GT have been on a roll, the Yellow Army have the edge as their home ground MA Chidambaram Stadium will host the match. GT skipper Hardik Pandya has won the toss and elected to field.
Here are the two XIs
Gujarat Titans (Playing XI): Shubman Gill, Wriddhiman Saha (wicket-keeper), Hardik Pandya (captain), Dasun Shanaka, David Miller, Rahul Tewatia, Rashid Khan, Darshan Nalkande, Mohit Sharma, Noor Ahmad, and Mohammed Shami. Chennai Super Kings (Playing XI): Ruturaj Gaikwad, Devon Conway, Ajinkya Rahane, Ambati Rayudu, Shivam Dube, Moeen Ali, Ravindra Jadeja, MS Dhoni (captain and wicket-keeper), Deepak Chahar, Tushar Deshpande, and Maheesh Theekshana.
Pitch report, timing, and streaming details
Chennai's MA Chidambaram Stadium will host this duel on May 23 (7:30pm). In seven home games in Chennai this season, CSK have prevailed four times while losing thrice. They have won 44 out of 63 IPL games here. The track at this venue usually assists the spinners. Star Sports will telecast the match, while fans can also live-stream it on JioCinema.
Record 12th playoffs for CSK
CSK have been one of the most successful franchises in the competition. They qualified for the playoffs for a record 12th time. They missed out on the top four only last season and also in 2020. They won the title in 2021, beating KKR in the finals. CSK did not feature in 2016 and 2017 due to a spot-fixing ban.
Another successful season for GT
It has been another sensational season for GT as they look like a solid unit raring to defend their IPL crown. This is only their second IPL season and both times they have finished at the top of the points table. Their exceptional bowling attack and a solid top order helped them maintain their dominance in the league phase for the second successive season.
