The 2023 Indian Premier League (IPL) kicked off in style, with the Gujarat Titans securing a five-wicket victory over the Chennai Super Kings in the opening match. The highly anticipated 16th edition of the lucrative league featured some new players and rules, including the controversial impact player rule which generated some uncertainty. Despite this, both teams utilized the new rule, with Chennai substituting in Tushar Deshpande for Ambati Rayudu and Gujarat being forced to bring in B Sai Sudharsan for Kane Williamson due to injury.


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As the umpire signalled the use of the impact player rule, crossing his hands over his head and touching his wrists, fans were reminded of the Marvel superhero Black Panther and his iconic "Wakanda Forever" chant. Fans also recalled Thalapathy Vijay and actress Hema Malini, resulting in some hilarious reactions.


While Chennai's impact player Deshpande struggled, conceding 51 runs in just 3.2 overs, Gujarat's Sudharsan scored 22 runs off 17 balls, providing valuable support to Shubman Gill, who scored a stunning 63 off just 36 balls. Despite the early dismissal of Hardik Pandya, the likes of Vijay Shankar, Rashid Khan, and Rahul Tewatia contributed crucial blows to secure victory for the Titans.


The Titans will now face the Delhi Capitals on April 4, while the Super Kings take on the Lucknow Super Giants on April 3. Overall, the opening match of the IPL 2023 season was an exciting spectacle, with fans eagerly anticipating the next fixtures.