Srinagar: Gujarat Titans were put in a strong position by the extra ordinary inning played by Sai Sudharsan who hammered Chennai Super Kings batters in the final of the IPL 2023 in Ahmedabad on Monday.
Sai Sudharsan helped Gujarat Titans side pile a huge score of 214/4 in 20 overs. The Gujarat batter, scored brilliant 96 off 47 deliveries before getting out in the final over bowled by Matheesha Pathirana.
Sudharsan’s knock featured eight fours and six maximums. While he targeted almost every CSK bowler, but his carnage against Tushar Deshpande in the 17th over was most talked on social media.
After being reintroduced in the attack, Sudharsan welcomed Deshpande with a maximum in the 17th over and followed it with a hattrick of fours. Sudharsan’s incredible knock drew praises from the cricketing fraternity, which included batting legend Sachin Tendulkar.
“Tonight, Sai was a treat to the eye!” Sachin Tweeted on a video.
Apart from Tendulkar, his former opening partner Virender Sehwag too was left mesmerised, and called the knock “astonishing”.
“What an astonishing knock from Sai Sudarshan. Chennai will need to bat out of their skins to chase this in the finals,” Sehwag Tweeted.
Meanwhile, R Ashwin, who is in England preparing for the upcoming World Test Championship (WTC), praised Gujarat Titans for acquiring his services at his base price, which was 20 lakhs.
“I am dumbstruck by the quality of strokeplay from these young Indian batters. On a big day, Sai Sudarshan showed us the incredible talent residing within him,” Harsha Bhogle Tweeted.
Sudharsan’s 96-run knock now stands as the third highest individual score in an IPL final. Only Shane Watson, and Wriddhiman Saha have scored more, both being a 100-plus score.
For CSK, Deshpande finished as the most expensive bowler as he conceded 56 runs in his four overs. Matheesha Pathirana claimed two wickets but he too leaked runs at an economy of 11 runs per over, accounting for 44 runs in his four overs.