IPL'23

The Indian Premier League concluded yesterday after what seemed like a century. (No pun intended)

Both the Gujarat Titans (GT), and the Chennai Super Kings (CSK), who have held the trophy in the past, were one match away from clinching the title, yet again. It was safe to say that it was truly a test of the champions. 

The final was ready to take place in Ahmedabad on Sunday. But the final that should have happened on Sunday, shifted to Monday, thanks to the unprecedented rains in Ahmedabad. The postponement of the match led people to take a day off from their work and many of the supporters who had travelled from faraway places even slept at the railway stations just to cheer for their teams and see the jersey number 7. 

On Monday, when the match (finally) started, GT took the lead to bat. In their previous 4 matches before the finals that they have played with each other- GT won 3, while CSK managed to beat them only once at their home ground in Chennai. 

Considering this result, one would not have had high hopes for CSK (except, obviously the CSK fans), despite them being a strong team. 

GT set the highest score for an IPL final with 214. Before CSK could start chasing the target, rains played spoilsport.

Yesterday was repeating itself. But this match would be played today. Even the God's couldn't disrupt this. 

The almost one-lakh strong crowd filled the stadium, proudly displaying their team colors of yellow and blue, and braved the rain, to witness the thrilling end of this. 

After what seemed like forever, the game resumed at 12:15 am.

Conway, Gaikwad, Rahane, Dube, all played their parts to push CSK to the final lap. Mahi was on the field now, but got out on a duck. The crowd went silent. Then entered Jadeja. 

*10 runs from 2 balls.*

32 Mn real-time viewers are watching the match at this point, despite the odd-timing. Both the batsmen are talking to each other, sizing the field and discussing strategy.

The camera panned to a girl at the stadium. She's crying and looking at the stadium with folded hands, praying fervently for CSK to win.

Mohit Sharma bowled. Jadeja hit an effortless six. 

The stadium goes crazy. 

*4 runs from 1 ball.*

The tensions were high, the stadium ever so silent.

Mohit Sharma delivered the last ball of the IPL. Jadeja made the shot. Missed by the fielder, the ball slowly rolled to the boundary. Jadeja knew it before anyone else. He had weaved the magic. He had done the work. 

CSK emerged as the champions of IPL'2023. 

The camera pans to the same girl once again. She's crying. She's laughing. She's shouting, putting her hands up in the air. God did hear her prayer, after all. 

The post-match scenes hit you too- be it the CSK team running from the dugout onto the field, the frenzy catching on, Dhoni lifting up Jadeja, or Hardik hugging Mohit Sharma after they lost- it felt personal. 

And whether you love Dhoni or not, whether you root for CSK or not, yesterday's match was surreal, fit for an IPL final- even the critics would agree. It was a scene that one would remember for a very, very long time, and if you watched the match in real time, you know it was an experience like no other.

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We're a nation divided on many things. But when the IPL starts, we roar for our players and root for our teams. CSK fans in Delhi and Bangalore fans in Kolkata, there is support from everywhere for everyone. Two months of pure adrenaline rush, excitement and stressing out when you see your team losing a wicket, or when your favorite player hits a century, this feeing unites all of us in different ways.

We cheer for Faf, Shubman, Samson, Rashid, Jaiswal, Dhoni, Rinku, and Virat- regardless of their teams.

On days that felt never-ending, amidst the hustle and bustle of exams, office targets and meetings, there was one thing that all of us looked forward to - the match in the evening. 

Now that it is over, we eagerly await the next IPL. In hopes that our teams win. 

Until next season!