After his side’s five-wicket victory over Gujarat Titans (GT) in the final of the Indian Premier League (IPL), Chennai Super Kings (CSK) batsman Ambati Rayadu said it is a fairytale conclusion to his career. Ravindra Jadeja, a fifty-year partnership between Devon Conway and Ruturaj Gaikwad and cameos from Shivam Dube, helped Chennai Super Kings (CSK) beat Gujarat Titans (GT) in a five wicket final ball thriller at Ahmedabad on Monday to win their fifth Indian Premier League ( IPL) title. This was Rayadu’s last career IPL match.
“It’s a fairytale finish. I couldn’t have asked for more. I’m lucky to have played on really great teams. I can smile for the rest of my life. All the hard work I’ve put in over the last 30 years, I am happy to have ended on this note. I want to thank my family and my father very much. Without them this would not have been possible,” said Rayadu after the victory.
In 204 matches of his IPL career, Rayadu has scored 4,348 runs at an average of 28.23 and a strike rate of 127.24. He has scored a century and 22 half-centuries in his IPL career, with a best score of 100*. He is the 12th highest all-time series scorer in IPL history.
He represented Mumbai Indians from 2010-2017 in 114 matches. He scored 2,416 runs at an average of 27.15 at a franchise strike rate of 126.16, with 14 half-centuries. His best score was 81*.
In 90 games for CSK, a franchise he joined in 2018, he scored 1,932 points at an average of 30.18. He has scored a century and eight fifties for CSK, with a best score of 100*.
His 2018 season with CSK is his most successful. He scored 602 points in 16 games at an average of 43.00. He scored a century and three fifties that season, with a best score of 100*.
In the current season, he scored 158 points at an average of 15.80 in 16 games. His highest score is 27*
He won the IPL trophy with MI (2013, 2015 and 2017) and CSK (2018 and 2021, 2023) a total of six times. He is one of the most successful players in the league’s history due to his immense success as a batsman and his number of trophies.
Heading into the game, a 67-run tie between Shubman Gill (39 in 20 balls) and Wriddhiman Saha GT got off to a solid start. Then came a score of 64 points between Saha and Sai Sudarshan. Saha was dismissed for 54 off 39 balls, five fours and one six.
Sudarshan hit 96 in just 47 balls, with eight fours and six sixes. He tied a score of 81 runs for the third wicket with skipper Hardik Pandya, who scored 21 off 12 balls.
Matheesha Pathirana took 2/44 in four overs. Deepak Chahar and Ravindra Jadeja each took a wicket.
The match was postponed due to rain. After the restart CSK were given a revised target of 171 runs in 15 overs. Openers Devon Conway (47 in 25 balls) and Ruturaj Gaikwad (26 in 16 balls) provided a platform with a score of 74 runs for the first wicket. Despite Ajinkya Rahane’s quickfire 27 in 13 balls and Ambati Rayadu’s 19 in eight balls, Mohit Sharma wrote a comeback for GT with his tight bowling. He also got Dhoni out for a golden duck.
CSK needed 13 runs in the final. But Mohit couldn’t defend it as Jadeja denied GT a win with a match-winning four on the last ball.
Mohit was the bowlers’ choice for GT, taking 3/36 in his four overs. Noor Ahmed (2/17) also impressed with the ball.
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