he excitement is building up as IPL 2023 reaches its pinnacle. Two months ago, at the iconic Narendra Modi Stadium, the Chennai Super Kings, led by the legendary MS Dhoni, ignited the season by taking on the defending champions, the Gujarat Titans. Now, the two teams are set to clash once again at the same venue in the grand finale, vying for the coveted IPL trophy. Chennai aims to claim their fifth title, equaling a record, while Gujarat seeks to become only the second team to successfully defend the championship.
However, just before the final in Ahmedabad, a viral image surfaced from the stadium, triggering a wave of controversy on social media. Speculations ran wild, with many alleging that the IPL 2023 final had been fixed. The image featured the words “Runner up Chennai Super Kings” displayed on the giant screen, causing concern among CSK fans and delight among ardent supporters of the Gujarat Titans.
When you accidentally upload the climax of the movie instead of the trailer pic.twitter.com/raqMEXDoPR
— Sagar (@sagarcasm) May 28, 2023
While reactions poured in from all corners, some suggested that the image could be a result of screen testing before the actual final, speculating that a similar display might have been run for the Gujarat Titans as well.
Runner up 😆#CSK pic.twitter.com/SCF8IY4Qba
— Rohit Yadav (@rohityadav1098) May 28, 2023
This encounter marks the third time Chennai and Gujarat have faced each other this season. In their initial encounter in Ahmedabad, the Gujarat Titans triumphed, kickstarting their title-defense campaign.
— Nishant Dadhich (@nishant_dadhich) May 28, 2023
However, CSK avenged the defeat by defeating Gujarat in the Qualifier 1 match at Chepauk, securing their spot in the final. The Gujarat Titans, led by Hardik Pandya, took a longer route to the final but clinched a resounding 62-run victory over their opponents in the Qualifier 2 match at the Narendra Modi Stadium.
It's fixed that csk will be runner up😭😭😭😥 pic.twitter.com/QN7wR4sLmD
— Masudreza shaikh (@ShaikhMasud1811) May 28, 2023
The Titans have enjoyed success at the venue, winning five out of their eight games, with their only loss coming against the Delhi Capitals on May 2. Since then, they have emerged victorious in three consecutive matches.
For Chennai, this season has been a remarkable turnaround after finishing ninth in the previous edition. The team witnessed MS Dhoni temporarily stepping down as captain at the start of the season, only to reclaim the leadership from Ravindra Jadeja in the latter half, resulting in an impressive resurgence.
As the final showdown approaches, all eyes are on the thrilling battle between the Chennai Super Kings and the Gujarat Titans, with fans eagerly anticipating an unforgettable climax to IPL 2023.