‘Ball landed where it shouldn’t have, I tried my best’ - Mohit Sharma reflects on final-over nerves after heartbreaking IPL 2023 final loss

Chennai Super Kings became five-time champions of the Indian Premier League (IPL) after they defeated Gujarat Titans in the summit clash of the 16th edition by five wickets at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Monday, May 29.

Coming in to chase a revised DLS target of 171 runs in 15 overs, the match went down to the wire as Chennai sealed the game on the last ball. It was Indian pacer Mohit Sharma who was handed the ball in the final over of the game.

Chennai needed 13 runs in the last over to win the game, and Mohita bowled three pin-point yorkers and kept the batters contained. However, he conceded 10 runs off the last two balls as Jadeja hit him for back-to-back boundaries and won the game for Chennai.

After suffering the heartbreaking loss, Mohit Sharma looked dejected, and the Indian pacer recently came forward to give his take on the feeling after losing the summit clash. 

"I couldn’t sleep. Sochta raha kya alag karta joh match jeet jaate. What if I could have bowled this ball or that ball? It’s not a nice feeling now. Somewhere something is missing but I’m trying to move on," Mohit Sharma told Indian Express. 

My mind was very clear in what I wanted to do: Mohit Sharma

Furthermore, Mohit also talked about his game plan before bowling the final over. He opined that he had practiced such situations in net practice and that he was backing his instincts in the final.

“My mind was very clear about what I wanted to do. In the nets, I had practiced such situations and I have been in such scenarios before too. So I said let me bowl all balls yorkers and was backing my instinct,” Mohit said.

He did bowl brilliantly in the match, however it was not enough in the end as Gujarat succumbed to a hefty five-wicket defeat.