Devon Conway. (Photo Source: IPL/BCCI)
Recently, Chennai’s Super Kings edged the Gujarat Titans in a stunning final encounter to claim victory in the 2023 Indian Premier League. Although the final match event was called off on the scheduled day, persistent downpours additionally led to major disruptions on reserve day as well. CSK had the task of chasing the 215-run target but the MS Dhoni-led squad received an altered target of 171 in 15 overs as the rain disrupted the game for quite some time.
At the beginning of CSK’s run-chase in the final, Devon Conway shined as he hit 47 from just 25 balls, smashing a total of four fours and two sixes. Following this, he emerged as the player of the match. The CSK upset the squad captained by Hardik Pandya by five wickets and lifted the title for the fifth time, equalling the Mumbai Indians’ record for the most titles in the history of the IPL.
Due to rain, the contest extended late into the night, ending at 1:30 AM IST on the third day of the final. Talking in the same line of events, CSK opener Devon Conway admitted that he drank a can of Red Bull and a lot of tea to stay up.
“Very unique (three-day match) – an emotional rollercoaster. I had many cups of chai just to keep myself going that late at night when we were all waiting during the rain break, not knowing how many overs we’d get in our chase. It was a little unsettling. Just before going in to bat, Mike Hussey [batting coach] told me, “Mate, think you want a can of Red Bull to stay awake?” It was hard to stay mentally switched on, given how late it was. So, I had a can of Redbull to get sharp and awake again. It ensured I was switched on from the first ball,” Conway told on ESPNcricinfo.
Jaddu hitting ten off two to win it the way he did make it even more exciting: Conway
The 31-year-old stated that the exuberant celebration extended until the early hours of the morning. “It was actually quite cool to finish the game that way because we’d never experienced something like that. Jaddu [Ravindra Jadeja] hitting ten off two to win it the way he did make it even more exciting and the boys went on to celebrate the win well into the night and early morning,” he added.