'If I Had to Lose, I Don't Mind Losing to Him': Hardik Pandya After Suffering Defeat to MS Dhoni's CSK in Final

Gujarat Titans skipper Hardik Pandya admitted that Chennai Super Kings played better cricket than his team after losing the Indian Premier League 2023 final. It was a nail-biting thriller at Narendra Modi Stadium and Ravindra Jadeja sealed the win for Chennai Super Kings with a six and a four on the last two balls.

It was a clash of MS Dhoni the mentor vs Hardik Pandya the mentee and the former managed to end up on the winning side as Chennai Super Kings lifted their fifth IPL title. After the heartbreaking defeat, Hardik had a smile on his face in the post-match presentation as he stated that if he had to lose then he would rather lose to Dhoni than anybody else.

CSK vs GT IPL 2023 Final Highlights

“I’m very happy for him, destiny had this written. If I had to lose, I don’t mind losing to him. Good things happen to good people, and he’s been one of the best people I know. God has been kind, God has been kind to me as well but today was his night," Hardik Pandya said in the post-match presentation.

Talking about the match, Hardik said that he is proud of the way his team fought hard till the last ball of the match.

“I think we tick a lot of boxes as a team. We play with a lot of heart, really proud of the way we kept fighting. We have a motto – we win together, we lose together," he added.

He further hailed Chennai Super Kings for their title triumph and also lauded the efforts of Sai Sudharsan who scored a brilliant 96 runs to help Titans post 214 on the scoreboard.

“I’m not going to make excuses, CSK played the better cricket. We batted really well, special mention to Sai, not easy to play that well at this level," he added.

Also Read | Chennai Super Kings Beat Gujarat Titans in Rain-Affected Final to Clinch Fifth IPL Title

Talking about his bowlers’ performances throughout the season, Hardik said Mohit Sharma, Mohammad Shami and Rashid Khan put their hands up and did the job for the team on numerous occasions.

“Really happy for the guys. We’ve been backing them and their success has been their success. Mohit, Shami, Rashid everyone…the way they put their hand up. Special mention to the coaching staff as well. I can’t ask anything more from them," he said.