What happened in the IPL 2023 final?
The IPL 2023 final between Chennai Super Kings and Gujarat Titans was due on 28 May at the Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad, but rain washed out the whole day without a toss. It was played on the reserve day, 29 May. CSK won the toss and bowled, and Gujarat made 214 for 4 in 20 overs, with Sai Sudharsan hitting 96 off 47 balls.
Three balls into the chase, with CSK on 4 for 0, rain returned at 9:50 pm. Play did not restart until 12:10 am. Five overs had been lost, and CSK's target became 171 in 15 overs, with a 4-over powerplay and a limit of 3 overs per bowler.
The chase went to the last ball. CSK needed 10 off the final two balls, and Ravindra Jadeja hit a six and then a four to finish on 171 for 5. Chennai won by 5 wickets on DLS, their fifth IPL title, level with Mumbai Indians. It was also Ambati Rayudu's last IPL match.
Why was the target 171 in 15 overs?
A simple run-rate cut would give 215 × 15 ÷ 20, about 161. DLS asks for 10 more because CSK kept all 10 wickets for a shorter innings. A full 20-over innings is worth 56.6%; with 3 balls gone and no wickets down, CSK had 55.5% left, and after the rain they had 14.3 overs, worth 44.0%. They lost 11.5%, leaving them 45.1% in all.
Par = 214 × 45.1 ÷ 56.6 = 170.52, rounded down to 170. Target = 171
Our calculator gives exactly the official target. The 10 extra runs over a run-rate cut reflect what every T20 side knows: with 10 wickets and 15 overs, you can bat with less fear than with 10 wickets and 20 overs.
What other targets were posted during the delay?
During the long wait, DLS targets for shorter chases were posted, down to 5 overs, the shortest chase that still gives a result in a T20. Here they are next to our calculator, with CSK 4 for 0 after 3 balls.
| CSK's overs | Posted on the day | Our calculator |
|---|---|---|
| 5 | 66 | 64 |
| 10 | 123 | 121 |
| 15 | 171 | 171 |
The 15-over target, the one that was used, matches exactly. For the 5-over and 10-over chases our targets are 2 runs lower, the usual gap between the published Standard Edition and the Professional Edition used in top-level cricket.
What does our DLS calculator give for this match?
| Overs per side | 20 |
|---|---|
| Gujarat Titans | 214 for 4 in 20 overs |
| Rain in the chase | At 0.3 overs, CSK 4 for 0; 5 overs lost |
| G50 | 245 |
| Our result (Standard Edition) | 171 in 15 overs |
| Official target | 171 in 15 overs |
| Difference | Same |
The working, step by step:
- Team 1 starts with 20 overs and 10 wickets: 56.6% of resources.
- Team 1 resources, R1 = 56.6%.
- Team 2 starts with 20 overs and 10 wickets: 56.6% of resources.
- Team 2 stoppage at 0.3 overs, 0 down: 19.3 overs left = 55.5%. After losing 5 overs, 14.3 left = 44.0%. Resources lost: 11.5%.
- Team 2 resources, R2 = 45.1%.
- R2 is not more than R1, so par = 214 × 45.1 ÷ 56.6 = 170.52, rounded down to 170. Target = 170 + 1 = 171.
Open these numbers in the calculator
Our calculator uses the published ICC Standard Edition table. International matches and big franchise leagues use the Professional Edition, which runs on ICC software and is not published, so a gap of a few runs is normal. The famous matches page compares every match side by side.
FAQ
What was CSK's target in the IPL 2023 final?
171 in 15 overs on DLS, after rain cut five overs from their chase of 215. Chennai reached 171 for 5 off the last ball and won by 5 wickets.
Why was the target 171 and not 161?
A simple run-rate cut would give about 161 for 15 overs. DLS gives more because Chennai kept all 10 wickets for a shorter innings, and a team can bat more freely when it has fewer overs to use its wickets in.
When did play restart in the IPL 2023 final?
At 12:10 am, after the rain that came at 9:50 pm. The final had already been moved to the reserve day because the first day was washed out.