The much-anticipated IPL 2023 final between the Chennai Super Kings and the Gujarat Titans was a severe letdown for the thousands of spectators that packed the Narendra Modi Stadium. Relentless rain fell throughout the evening, delaying the coin toss and finally forcing the match to be called off. Many fans who had arrived without umbrellas found themselves trapped late into the night as the rain persisted long after the postponement. However, an unexpected hero—a giant-sized version of Virat Kohli—appeared to save the day.
The decision to postpone the match until the reserve day was made around 11:00 p.m. IST. Despite the postponement, the rain continued to fall, leaving large puddles on the pitch and outfield, virtually converting the Narendra Modi Stadium into a little pond.
As it continued to rain, it was hard for the thousands of people trying to leave the stadium. When they were in this situation, the Kohli picture came into play. In honor of the IPL 2023 final, the site was decorated with huge signs showing the best moments from the season for each player. One of them was a picture of Kohli, which was torn down by fans of both CSK and GT. Fans used the picture as a temporary umbrella to get out of the stadium when it started to rain.
The weather report for Reserve Day did not say that it would rain during the match. This meant that the winner would be decided by a full match of 20 overs per side. The Chennai Super Kings were in their 10th IPL final. They wanted to win their sixth title and tie the Mumbai Indians for the most titles in IPL history. On the other hand, the Gujarat Titans wanted to be the first team to protect the IPL title since the Chennai Super Kings.
Fans waited quietly for the Reserve Day match, hoping for clear skies and a thrilling game between two strong teams. Even though the rain was disappointing, the spirit of cricket won out as fans took shelter in Kohli’s larger-than-life presence.
