AHMEDABAD, India (AP) — Gujarat was made to bat first and posted 214-4 — the highest-ever total in a final — highlighted by 96 from Sai Sudharsan.
Rain halted Chennai’s chase in the first over for nearly 2 1/2 hours and reduced the target to 171 in 15 overs. Chennai needed every single ball to make 171-5.
A fantastic launch was shared by openers Devon Conway, 47 off 25 balls, and Ruturaj Gaikwad, 26 off 16. They raised a half-century stand within the four-over powerplay, including 17 runs in legspinner Rashid Khan’s first over.
Spinner Noor Ahmad removed both openers in the same over, but Chennai kept coming hard. Ajinkya Rahane added 27 off 13, and Rayudu punished a loose Mohit Sharma with 6-4-6 before he was caught and bowled the next ball.
Captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni also fell to Mohit Sharma for a duck, leaving Shivam Dube, an unbeaten 32 off 21, with Jadeja.
Mohammed Shami bowled a brilliant penultimate over to give Mohit Sharma a cushion of defending 13 runs in the final over. Mohit Sharma, who ended up with 3-36, conceded just three runs off the first four deliveries until Jadeja’s last-gasp heroics.
Earlier, Chennai’s early lapses in the field gave Gujarat momentum. Deepak Chahar missed catching chances against Shubman Gill and Wriddhiman Saha.
Gill, who top-scored in the tournament with 890 runs, made 39 off 20 before Dhoni stumped him. Saha made 54.
Sudharsan shared two half-century stands; 64 with Saha and 81 off 33 with captain Hardik Pandya.
Sudharsan smashed eight boundaries and six sixes and dominated the death overs. He was in sight of a deserving century in the final over until pacer Matheesha Pathirana pinned with a superb yorker.
GT captain Hardik was happy with his team’s performance despite losing the game. He congratulated MS Dhoni for his 5th title win as a CSK captain.
“We win together and we lose together. Maybe one of those games today. I mean, I’m not one of those guys who makes excuses. I’m very happy for Dhoni. Destiny had this written for him. If I had to lose, I don’t mind losing to him. Good things happen to good people,” he said.