AHMEDABAD: In the end, past the endless rain delays, past Sai Sudharsan's excellent 96 for Gujarat Titans, past the canny band of GT bowlers who tried their best in the wet conditions, past the formidable 171-run target in a truncated 17 overs, it was Ravindra Jadeja who ensured that MS Dhoni's Chennai Super Kings were crowned IPL champions for the fifth time after a nerve-wracking five-wicket win off the last ball.
With 13 to get off the last six balls and 10 off the last two, Jadeja latched on to a Mohit Sharma yorker and sent it soaring over long-on for six. Last ball, four to win, and Mohit's nerves failed him as he strayed down leg. Jadeja simply guided it to the fine leg fence and ran into the arms of his delirious teammates. CSK captain MS Dhoni, though, sat calmly with eyes closed in the dugout.
1/10:Chennai Super Kings beat Gujarat Titans to win fifth IPL title
ANI
2/10:MS Dhoni
<p>MS Dhoni said he will look to return for the next IPL season after he led Chennai Super Kings to a record-equalling fifth title over Gujarat Titans in what many believed to be his last match. </p>ANI
3/10:Ravindra Jadeja
<p>Ravindra Jadeja hit a six and four off the final two balls as Chennai chased down their revised target of 171 in 15 overs with five wickets to spare in a rain-hit final which went past 1.30 am local time Tuesday on a reserve day in Ahmedabad following a washout on Sunday. </p>ANI
4/10:Shubman Gill
<p>In-form Gujarat opener Shubman Gill hit a 20-ball 39 and was named most valuable player, earning the orange cap as the leading batsman with 890 runs. </p>AP
5/10:Lightning quick glovework
<p>Gill kept up the attack with regular hits to the fence before Dhoni's lightning quick glovework sent back the batsman, stumped off Jadeja. </p>Getty Images
6/10:Wriddhiman Saha
<p>Wriddhiman Saha made 54 and put on 64 runs with Sai Sudharsan, who took charge after his partner's departure. </p>ANI
7/10:Sai Sudharsan
<p>Sai Sudharsan smashed 96 off 47 balls to guide Gujarat to 214/4. </p>AP
8/10:Rain interruption
<p>Rain forced players off the ground when Chennai were four without loss after three balls of their innings. </p>Getty Images
9/10:The downpour
<p>The downpour lasted for about 15 minutes but covers came off from one of the pitches which got damp and the groundstaff worked for over two hours to get the field ready for play. </p>Getty Images
10/10:Devon Conway
<p>Devon Conway led the chase with his 25-ball 47 before cameos from Ajinkya Rahane (27) and Shivam Dube (32*), set the stage for Jadeja's heroics. </p>AFPThe title win, in which Ambati Rayudu and Ajinkya Rahane also played their parts with the bat, marks a fitting tribute to CSK's accomplished leader, who may be featuring in his last season as an active player. The only blip in the chase was the dismissal of Dhoni himself as he fell for a first-ball duck.
Earlier, it didn't start in the most auspicious manner for Chennai after Dhoni won the toss and put Gujarat in.
Pacer Deepak Chahar dropped the in-form Gujarat opener Shubman Gill at square leg when the batter was on three. It seemed like it would be a long night in the field for CSK, but luckily for them, that was not to be the case.
After a rapid start in which the Titans galloped to 62/0 at the end of the Powerplay, Dhoni introduced left-arm spinner Jadeja. Off the last ball of the seventh over, Jadeja spun a fast delivery past the edge of Gill's bat. Dhoni may be 41, but, his hands effected a lightning-fast stumping that the 23-year-old Gill perhaps hadn't thought of.
Wriddhiman Saha made 54 (39b; 5x4, 1x6), number three batter Sai Sudharsan smashed 96 (47b; 8x4, 6x6) and a unbeaten cameo from captain Hardik Pandya 21 (12b; 2x6) propelled the defending champions to 214/4 in 20 overs.
Gill made 39 (20b; 7x4) and ended the season with 890 runs from 17 matches.
However, the rain gods intervened a mere three balls into CSK's innings, and play was stopped with CSK at 4/0. After the final pitch inspection at 11:30 pm, CSK's target was revised, with play set to resume at 12:10 am.
In the end, Dhoni's magic stumping of Gill off Jadeja, and Jadeja's star turn with the bat, did the trick for CSK.
