Indian Premier League 2023: Gujarat Titans claim five-wicket win over Chennai Super Kings in opener

Defending champions Gujarat Titans beat Chennai Super Kings by five wickets in front of a 100,000 crowd in the opening game of the 2023 Indian Premier League.

Chennai, featuring England pair Ben Stokes and Moeen Ali, put on 178-7 thanks to Ruturaj Gaikwad’s 92.

But Gujarat, anchored by opener Shubman Gill’s 63 off 36 balls, chased down the total with four balls to spare.

Afghanistan’s star spinner Rashid Khan dismissed England all-rounder Moeen for 23 and England Test skipper Stokes – bought at auction for £1.63m – for seven as both batters got an edge to wicketkeeper Wriddhiman Saha.

Ambati Rayudu and Gaikwad’s 51-run partnership helped rebuild Chennai’s score, but Joshua Little, the first Irishman to be picked up in the IPL, bowled Rayudu for 12.

New Zealand’s Kane Williamson almost caught Gaikwad for 71 on the boundary but, after landing awkwardly on his right knee, he was escorted off the field by the physiotherapist and is a doubt for Gujarat’s next game.

Gill and fellow opener Saha gave the Titans a strong start, before Saha fell for 25 to IPL debutant Rajvardhan Hangargekar, who was part of the India squad that won the recent Under-19 Cricket World Cup.

The all-rounder, 20, also dismissed Sai Sudharshan (22) and Vijay Shankar (27).

The Titans needed 23 from the final two overs and Rashid hit Deepak Chahar for six off the first ball and four off the second, leaving eight runs for victory.

Rahul Tewatia made the last over a formality when he hit Tushar Deshpande for six before finishing the game with another boundary.

Khan was named player of the match and said of the award: “It gives me so much of energy for the rest of the competition. I try to bowl the right areas consistently and batting is all about time spent in the nets.”

Chennai captain MS Dhoni said: “We were slightly short, another 15-20 runs would have been good. We can’t afford to bowl no-balls, that is something in our control.”