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Seventy-three hotly-contested matches have led to the all-important Final of IPL 2023 that will see the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) take on the Gujarat Titans (GT) on Sunday, May 28, at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.
The visiting side comes into this match well-rested after beating the Titans in Qualifier 1 at Chennai on Tuesday. A win will see MS Dhoni and Co. lift their fifth IPL trophy, matching the Mumbai Indians for IPL titles.
CSK will know the threat a well-balanced side like GT possesses on any surface, let alone their home ground.
The last time they played at this venue was the opening match of IPL 2023, where GT comfortably chased down CSK’s total despite a masterclass batting effort from Ruturaj Gaikwad. The Super Kings will again look to him for inspiration, as he has 50+ scores in all four of CSK’s meetings with GT. Ajinkya Rahane is another player whose performance could well decide how this match goes.
GT regrouped well after the defeat to CSK and roared back to condemn the Mumbai Indians to a crushing loss in Qualifier 2 on Friday night.
While he may have gotten some luck, take nothing away from the breathtaking knock that Shubman Gill played. With a display of clean hitting and stellar strokeplay, his 60-ball 129 would definitely have the CSK think tank scrambling to find ways to stop him.
Their bowling attack also delivered the goods, with the trio of Mohammed Shami, Rashid Khan, and Mohit Sharma all among the wickets. Mohit picked up a five-wicket haul in only 2.2 overs against MI and has had an outstanding campaign with 24 wickets in only 13 matches.
With both the Orange Cap holder and the top three in the Purple Cap race all belonging to GT, no wonder they have been this dominant.
Two of the most consistent sides of the tournament have deservedly made the final, and it’s anyone’s guess how this will turn out.
Match Details
Date: May 28, 2023
Time: 7:30 PM IST
Venue: Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad.
Weather Forecast
It should remain a hot evening at Ahmedabad, with the temperatures likely in the mid-30s. However, there are chances of rain that could bring the mercury down. We should have a full 20-over game, as only brief showers are likely, if any.
Pitch Report
Despite the rains before the match, the surface at the Narendra Modi Stadium for the GT-MI clash was a belter. Another high-scoring encounter should lie in store for the fans.
Predicted XIs
Chennai Super Kings
There’s a near zero percent chance CSK make any changes ahead of such a big game after finding their settled team combination. Matheesha Pathirana and Ambati Rayudu should be the impact players when CSK bats or bowls first, respectively.
Chennai Super Kings: Devon Conway, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Ajinkya Rahane, Shivam Dube, Ambati Rayudu, Moeen Ali, Ravindra Jadeja, MS Dhoni (C/WK), Deepak Chahar, Maheesh Theekshana, and Tushar Deshpande. (Impact Player: Matheesha Pathirana).
Gujarat Titans
GT made the right changes to their team ahead of Qualifier 2 by bringing Sai Sudharsan to slot in at No.3 and bringing back Joshua Little as the impact player in their bowling innings.
Gujarat Titans: Wriddhiman Saha (WK), Shubman Gill, Sai Sudharsan, Hardik Pandya (C), Vijay Shankar, David Miller, Rahul Tewatia, Rashid Khan, Noor Ahmad, Mohit Sharma, and Mohammed Shami. (Impact Player: Joshua Little).
Match Prediction
Finals are always hard to decide, especially when the finalists are the teams that finished in the Top two. GT did have a three-point advantage over CSK and has won more matches this season, but in a crunch match like Qualifier 1, CSK’s win over the defending champions should give them some confidence.
However, a buoyant GT side led by the in-form Shubman Gill will be riding high on confidence after brushing aside MI in Qualifier 2 to get to the Finals. Their home advantage and superior knowledge of the conditions should give them an edge in the grand finale of IPL 2023.
Prediction: Gujarat Titans to win The Final of IPL 2023
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