IPL 2023: GT vs CSK FINAL Live Score Stream, Hotstar, Smartcric Gujarat vs Chennai Updates

UPDATE 10.59 pm IST (5.29 pm GMT) - Right then, the inevitable has happened and the GAME HAS BEEN CALLED OFF FOR THE DAY! Luckily, there is a reserve day and the Final will be played on Monday, the 29th of May. The pitch and the covers have taken up a massive amount of water and hence the ground wouldn't be ready before the cut-off time. The game will now start on Monday at 7.30 pm IST (2 pm GMT) with our build-up starting a lot sooner as usual. Do join us then and let's hope that the reserve day stays rain-free and we get a cracker of a final. Take care and goodbye!

UPDATE - 10.25 pm IST (4.55 pm GMT) - The intensity of the rain seems to have reduced a fraction but the ground staff will need it to stop completely to be able to work on the covers and the outfield. This is looking really gloomy at the moment as we are heading closer to the cut-off time for the game to be played today. There is still about an hour and a half for that to happen so we will try and be optimistic. Stay tuned for any further updates.

UPDATE - 9.45 pm IST (4.15 pm GMT) - It is still raining heavily on the ground and we have crossed the cut-off time of 9.40 pm IST (4.10 pm GMT) for a full game so we will lose overs if the game starts today. We still have some hope for some action today itself but if not we always have a reserve day in store for us. A 10.30 pm IST (5 pm GMT) start will mean the game is 15 overs per side, an 11 pm IST (5.30 pm GMT) start will mean 12 overs for each team, and a 9-over game if the match starts at 11.30 pm IST (6 pm GMT). Fingers crossed.

UPDATE - 9.25 pm IST (3.55 pm GMT) - Everything looked to be in order as the captains were talking to the match officials and the umpires seemed happy with the outfield as well. The pitch was being rolled and there seemed to be discussions on when the toss would happen. But alas! The rain gods have reappeared as everyone on the field starts to exit the playing field and the ground staff comes running in with the covers. This is getting painful now with all the anticipation behind the game and we hope to bring some better news soon...

UPDATE - 9.10 pm IST (3.40 pm GMT) - So the ground staff has begun removing the covers while the Super Soppers are doing their job in the outfield. The match officials and some of the players have made their way out onto the field to get a feel of the situation and check the conditions. If the game starts at 9.45 pm IST (4.15 pm GMT) then we will have a 19-over game and if it starts by 10 pm IST (4.30 pm GMT) then we will have 17 overs per side. Things are moving quickly now and we could still have an early start so stay tuned...

UPDATE - 9 pm IST (3.30 pm GMT) - The rain seems to have halted at the moment but we have been having some stop-start moments and we hope that this time it is for good. Even if it does, the ground staff will still take some time to get the covers off and the outfield dry, so we could expect some overs to be lost today. We will keep you updated with further news...

UPDATE - 8.30 pm IST (3 pm GMT) - We have a bit of good news here to offer! We have had torrential rain so far but it has now reduced to a slight drizzle. We are hoping for it to completely stop soon so that the ground staff can begin their work. Two Super Soppers are already on the ground as they look to get rid of the puddles in the outfield and we should have some more updates soon. Just as we say this, the rain has picked up, and looks like we may have to wait a bit longer...

UPDATE - 7.40 pm IST (2.10 pm GMT) - To fill you guys in with the situation... The latest the game can start without overs being lost is 9.40 pm IST (4.10 pm GMT) and we will have a 5-over match latest by 11.56 pm IST (6.26 pm GMT). If no play happens, the match will take place on the reserve day, i.e. 29th May 2023.

UPDATE - 7.10 pm IST (1.40 pm GMT) - The rain is still around but it looks like more of a passing shower. Also, the drainage here is immaculate so, hopes are high for a full game. Stick around as we bring you the latest updates from the ground.

UPDATE - 6.54 pm IST (1.24 pm GMT) - We have some bad news, folks! The rain has come pouring down hard and the ground staff have brought the covers onto the field. The toss has been delayed but we expect this to be a passing shower. Stay tuned for further updates...

Gujarat have become a force to reckon with in just two seasons as they have proved that their win last year was not a fluke. They bulldozed through the group stages with 10 wins in the 14 games and were top of the table by a comfortable margin. They did get a reality check when they faced Chennai in Qualifier 1 but overcame that loss with a thumping win against Mumbai in Qualifier 2 and played some of their best cricket. They have the Orange Cap holder Shubman Gill and the Purple Cap holder Mohammad Shami in their line-up to establish why they have been so dominant in the competition so far and Hardik Pandya will be desperate to establish his credentials as a captain by making it two consecutive titles. Which heavyweight side will be crowned the champions? We will find out soon! Stay tuned for the toss and team updates.

Chennai have once again proven why they are the most feared franchise in T20 cricket as they make yet another final appearance. They started the competition strong and despite a minor stumble towards the middle phase which had their fans worried, a string of good results helped them finish second on the table. MS Dhoni continues to use his extraordinary leadership skills on the field and has guided his side directly into the final after winning Qualifier 1 as they for their fifth Indian T20 League title. He has the ability to get the best out of his side as can be seen from the faith he has shown in his young fast bowlers and some underperforming players and that has built great cohesion in the group. Their batting has been their primary strength along with some world-class spinners in their midst which makes this side well-balanced and a constant threat. 

Hello, and a warm welcome, ladies and gentlemen to our coverage of the grand finale in the 16th edition of the Indian T20 League as we are about to witness an enthralling encounter between two of the best sides in the competition this here. We are at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad as the reigning champions lock horns against four-time winners Chennai in the biggest cricket ground in the world with the world waiting in anticipation to see who comes up trumps. Both teams have won once against each other in this edition with Gujarat claiming a win in their opening match at this venue but Chennai got the better of their opponents at the M.A. Chidambaram Stadium in Qualifier 1. However, this is the game that matters the most with the coveted title on the line and it is to be seen which side comes up trumps in this enticing final fixture.

... MATCH DAY ...

We have reached the climax of what has been an enthralling cricketing journey that has lasted close to two months and left the world captivated with some high-quality entertainment. The 16th edition of the Indian T20 League has been purely spectacular as we have witnessed numerous records broken and some nail-biting encounters that have even left our imagination in a state of wonder. The group stages were tightly contested and it was only after the final tie that we were able to get all our four qualifiers. Despite being one of the closest contested seasons in history two teams stood out from the rest and it is only fair that they are the ones battling it out for the coveted title. The reigning champions powered through the league stage in commanding fashion winning 10 games which had them sitting pretty at the top of the table and they will clash against a team that has made the most final appearances in the history of the competition. The stage is set at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad which is the biggest cricket arena in the world for the dominant Gujarat side to take on four-time champion Chennai in what is expected to be an epic affair. It will be a home venue for Gujarat and they will look to take the momentum they gathered from their dominating win against Mumbai in Qualifier 2 into this fixture. Shubman Gill snatched the Orange Cap in style as he notched up his third century in this edition taking his tournament tally to 851 runs and his batting dominance is more evident by the fact that the next highest scorer for his side is skipper Hardik Pandya who has 325 runs under his belt. Wriddhiman Saha (317 runs), Vijay Shankar (301 runs), and David Miller (259 runs) have made some handy contributions but the middle order has also been exposed a couple of times and will need to be aware of the threat the Chennai spinners pose. Their bowling attack is so potent that the top three players in the leading wicket-takers list are from their side with Mohammad Shami and Rashid Khan fighting for the Purple cap with 28 and 27 wickets respectively. Mohit Sharma has played three games lesser but still has 24 wickets in his kitty having taken a 5-wicket haul in the previous game. Noor Ahmad has been a steady contributor having taken 14 wickets so far and he is only bound to grow in strength. Chennai have depended on their young pace bowlers to carry the bowling this season with Deepak Chahar (12 wickets) missing a chunk of their games and it has been Tushar Deshpande (21 wickets) and Matheesha Pathirana (17 wickets) who have managed to come to the fore. Ravindra Jadeja continues to be a high-utility player for them with 19 wickets and 175 runs coming low down the order and has been supported in the spin department by Maheesh Theekshana (11 wickets) who seems to have finally found a bit of rhythm. MS Dhoni has had very little batting to do this season as their potent batting order has rarely needed his contribution. The openers Devon Conway (625 runs) and Ruturaj Gaikwad (564 runs) have continued their good run and will hold the key to their success on a batting-friendly track. They have a long batting order with Shivam Dube (386 runs), Ajinkya Rahane (299 runs), Ambati Rayudu, Moeen Ali, and Ravindra Jadeja but their collapse in Qualifier 1 will be fresh in their minds. They did manage to win the tie at the M. Chidambaram Stadium but the two sides faced each other on the opening day at this very venue it was the reigning champions who claimed a 5-wicket win to kickstart their campaign. The title-holders will feel that they have the added benefit of having the home crowd behind them but that is when you do not factor in a talisman called MS Dhoni. The fans of the Indian legend have followed him throughout the competition and we expect another sea of yellow to be present at this venue backing one of the most successful T20 captains in the world to yet another title. Will they clinch their fifth trophy? Or will Gujarat become the only side to win two titles in their first two years? We will find out soon.