<div style="text-align: justify; "><b style="font-size: 1rem;">Ravindra Jadeja hit a four off the last ball as Chennai Super Kings equalled Mumbai Indians' record for most IPL titles. Sai Sudharsan had propelled Gujarat Titans to a score of 214/4 by smashing 96 off just 47 balls. The 23-year-old Chennai lad smashed eight fours and six sixes in his innings as he made the most of the death overs.&nbsp;</b><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Earlier, Wriddhiman Saha scored 54 off 39 on a day when his prolific opening partner Shubman Gill was limited to a score of 39 off 20. Only slight drizzles appeared throughout the GT innings which didn't cause stoppages of any kind.&nbsp;&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">However, the stoppage came eventually after the third ball of the first over of the CSK innings with heavy rain pouring down at the stadium. While the rain itself didn't last long, it was the wet outfield, particularly a problematic practice pitch at the edge of the square that caused the biggest delay. Finally, the match got reduced to 15 overs and CSK's target was revised to 171. The match eventually resumed and it has been a see-saw affair ever since.&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Big hits from Devon Conway, Ajinkya Rahane, Shivam Dube and Ambati Rayudu helped CSK's cause but Mohit Sharma came in with the important wickets whenever it looked like the opposition was running away with it. Mohit bowled the last over as well and brought it down to CSK needing 10 to win off the last two balls. But Ravindra Jadeja ended up smashing the second last ball for a six and the last ball for a four to lead CSK to a five-wicket win and their fifth title.&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Confetti everywhere after Dhoni, Jadeja and Rayudu receive the trophy from BCCI president Roger Binny. Dhoni was standing sheepishly behind Binny initially as he asked Jadeja and Rayudu to receive the trophy first before finally joining in. Then, after a brief, fleeting moment with that cup, he gives it to his teammates and disappears into the background.&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">But he can't really do that, can he? He is MS Dhoni after all, try as he might he will never really be in the background. Just this time though, it is other yellow shirts who dominate the camera frame and lay their hands on that coveted trophy that Dhoni has lifted five times now.&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">A great way to bid farewell to Ambati Rayudu. Dhoni himself started off in his interview sounding like he is about to announce his retirement but really, all he wanted to say was that he intends to return the love shown towards him by every city in the country this year by working his backside off and getting back next year. That stumping of Shubman Gill showed that he remains one of the most potent wicketkeepers in this tournament and he is also a lightning between the wickets.&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Let's hope the next one year is easy on him and he can take his place back at the helm for the yellow brigade. An incredible season has come to an end today - one that was filled with last-ball thrillers and yet rather surprisingly, no Super Overs. Of course it had to end with a six and a boundary off the last two balls of a final that stretched into a third day. The CSK players are posing with the trophy one by one.&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The ground staff, meanwhile, is posing for a photo that will probably be a trophy in their respective homes for the rest of their lives and that is a photo with MS Dhoni as the CSK captain goes to them and then takes a lap around the ground to thank the fans. We, meanwhile, are signing off at the end of an epic final that fittingly ended an epic IPL season. HT</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify; ">bnbd24/kh</div>