After witnessing 68 highly entertaining and tightly contested games and several nail-biting finishes, we have finally arrived on the last day of the league stage of TATA IPL 2023. We have arrived at the last day of the league phase and yet the four finalists haven’t been confirmed, such has been the level of competition in the Toughest T20.
The script of the Race to Playoffs in TATA IPL 2023 couldn’t have been better as we got two of three qualifying teams into the top four on the penultimate day. Chennai Super Kings and Lucknow Super Giants won their last league games and secured the playoffs berth on Super Saturday.
Meanwhile, LSG survived a Rinku Singh scare by the barest of margins and booked the playoffs berth for the second season in a row with a slender one-run margin on Saturday. Rinku Singh – the star of KKR and a sensation of TATA IPL 2023 – almost pulled off a heist for KKR in yet another incredible run chase by scoring 19 runs off the final over in pursuit of 21.
Mighty impressed with Rinku’s yet another sensational performance, former India cricketer Harbhajan Singh claimed the uncapped India cricketer has put himself in the pantheon of legendary match-finishers in TATA IPL.
Speaking on Star Sports’ Cricket Live, Harbhajan Singh said, “Rinku Singh has put his name in the pantheon of legendary match finishers in the history of IPL. With his incredible performances in this season, he has put himself in the league of legends like Andre Russell and Kieron Pollard. I salute this exceptionally talented cricketer. He has won millions of hearts with his breathtaking knocks this season and I bow down to him. My best wishes to Rinku and his family. In the next IPL season, he might not be an uncapped player.”
Harbhajan also lauded LSG captain Krunal Pandya for making good use of his bowlers in a must-win game against KKR. Despite leaking too many runs in the powerplay, LSG pulled back in the middle-overs and brought themselves back.
Speaking on Star Sports’ Cricket Live, Harbhajan Singh said, “Credit to Krunal Pandya for rotating his bowlers well. It was the highest quality of spin bowling from LSG against KKR. Hats off to the spinners for bowling with courage in the middle overs and under tough situations. Good signs for them ahead of playoffs as Chepauk traditionally favours spinners.”