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Ruturaj Gaikwad's 92 of 50 balls and skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni's small cameo helped Chennai Super Kings set 179-run target for Gujarat Titans in the opening match of IPL 2023 being played at the Narendra Modi stadium here.
The IPL 2023 got off with a glittering opening ceremony that saw singer Arijit Singh entralling the spectators followed by dance performances of Tamanna Bhatia and Rasmika Mandhanna. After the opening ceremony, the toss took place which was won by Hardik Pandya and the Gujarat Titans captain opted to bowl first. Put into bat, four-time champions Chennai Super Kings (CSK) did not get an ideal start as they lost opener Devon Conway when he had scored one run. Mohammed Shami cleaned him up and notched up his 100th IPL wicket. CSK lost their opening wicket when team score was at 14. Moeen Ali walked in to bat with Ruturaj Gaikwad and the duo took the team's total beyond the 50-run mark in just 5.4 overs. Gaikwad went on to hit the season's first boundary and six. Rashid Khan broke the 36-run partnership, dismissing Ali for 23, caught behind by wicket-keeper Wriddhiman Saha as CSK lost their second wicket with 50 runs on the board. Rashid Khan struck for the second time and got the prized scalp of Ben Stokes who was out for 7 made from 6 balls. Saha took his second catch in the match as CSK lost their third wicket for 70 runs on the board. The fall of Stokes' wicket did not impact Gaikwad as he went on to score his fastest half-century in just 23 balls, hitting three fours and five sixes. Gaikwad and Ambati Rayudu helped CSK cross the 100-run mark in 11 overs. The Gaikwad-Rayudu duo notched up a 50-run partnership in just 29 balls. The 51-run-partnership was broken as Joshua Little cleaned up Rayudu for 12, which came of 12 balls, as CSK lost their fourth wicket at the score of 121. In-form Gaikwad along with Shivam Dube took CSK beyond the 150-run mark in 16.4 overs. Ruturaj Gaikwad was finally dismissed by Gujarat Titans at 92, which he scored of 50 balls hitting 9 sixes and four boundaries. Alzarri Joseph took the wicket and two balls later also sent Ravindra Jadeja packing for 1 as CSK lost their sixth wicket with the team score at 153. Jadeja's wicket brought CSK captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni to the middle. In the next over, Shivam Dube too was sent back to the pavilion by Shami who took his second wicket of the match. MS Dhoni's one towering six and a four took CSK to 178/7 in 20 overs and he remained unbeaten on 14, made from seven balls. Brief scores: CSK 178/7 in 20 overs (Ruturaj Gaikwad 92, Moeen Ali 23; Rashid Khan 2/26).(ANI)
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