IPL 2023 playoffs
After 52 days of the nonstop hustle and bustle, it came down to four teams that stepped onto the business end of the tournament to pocket the coveted IPL trophy on the 28th of this very month.
With the IPL coming back to the “home-away” norm after a couple of years, the decibel level was thunderous, and it surely wasn’t a cakewalk for all the contestants to prove their mettle against the best in the world.
The final four teams in the playoffs
The four teams—Gujarat, Chennai, Lucknow, and Mumbai—have had distinctive seasons and have won individual battles so far, now eyeing to triumph the ultimate war as champions of the toughest league across the globe.
In a nutshell, in the Gujarat Titans’ second season, they showcased their nonchalant skills in the most effortless way possible. Crafting new match-winners in every single outing makes them lethal, and this bunch poses as favorites to lift their second IPL trophy successively. Led by skipper Hardik, the onslaught of Saha and Gill, creamed well by the middle order, has looked great with the bowling department, led by Shami and Rashid perplexes the opposition nearly every time.
The usual suspect, CSK, made an intimidating statement by rolling over sorry, DC, to seal their spot in the Top 2.
Conway, shadowing Hussey in his instinct and style, was among the top runners. getters of the tournament, and the southpaw promises to do the job in the coming time too. Rescuing CSK from death bowling woes was Matheesha Pathiraana. Bow down to the legend, MSD. Carrying a knee niggle from the game with a decent bowling lineup, MSD will probably clock to end his cricketing deserving farewell garnished with his sixth title.
The supergiants from Lucknow, for the second consecutive time, crossed the group stage hurdle without availing the services of their experienced campaigner and captain KL Rahul in the latter half of this tournament. The foreign buys Pooran, Stoinis, and the domestic bowling in Bishnoi, Yash Thakur, Amit Mishra, and Mohsin have brought them a yard closer to the IPL crown.
With the lives of four teams hanging on a piece of thread, streaky LSG and MI permutations and combinations zipped the top 4 slots in the hindmost end.
RCB and MI locked horns for the final position. The five-time champions gasped Rohit and Green went all guns blazing against wooden spooners SRH to carnage the opponents. But still had their hopes of fortune destined in the hands of GT.
Virat’s back-to-back hundreds were overshadowed by the blossoming star making, i.e., Shubman Gill. The RCB bowlers were nailed, and GT carried their winning momentum at that the end of the tournament to face MSD’s yellow army.
RCB’s campaign came to a standstill with yet another dismal season, adding a pile of miseries for the folks from Silicon Valley. But the upsetting end at the office doesn’t veil the mastery of a stalwart Kohli roaring fire and making his sublime wand do magical artistry in T20s too.
The four teams put their hands on the trophy as the entire nation pondered over nail-biting contests to find the 16th title holders of this stupendous league.
Team of the Tournament (till the league stage)
Faf Du Plessis (c)*
Gill
Kohli
Suryakumar Yadav
Heinrich Klaasen (wk)
Rinku Singh
Rashid Khan*
Chahal Shami
Siraj
Matheesha Pathirana*
(*overseas players)
Written By- ANTARIKSH JOHRI
