After a two-year-long suspension, the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) won their third IPL title in style, easily chasing down the 178 set by Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH), with nine balls to spare. Mumbai's Wankhede Stadium, where the match was held, was engulfed in a sea of yellow, thanks to fans displaying their immense support for the Chennai team. With nine wins each, SRH and CSK topped the league stage and also squared off in the first qualifier. The final was the fourth match between the two teams this season, with CSK emerging victorious in all.
While they continued to dominate the field, CSK faced turbulent times off it. Burning issues like the Cauvery water dispute and the Sterlite protests led to multiple agitations in Tamil Nadu. After just one home game, CSK's home matches had to be moved away from their base in Chepauk, as a few fringe groups and some from within the Tamil film industry felt that it wouldn't be right for matches to be held at Chennai when the Cauvery issue hadn't been resolved. Many of the team's loyal fans felt let down.
Pune, which was picked as CSK's new base, saw a large number of fans dressed in yellow as a show of support for the team. In an unprecedented move, the team's management arranged for a passenger train to ferry fans from Chennai to Pune. The team's efforts bore fruits, with the win making fans euphoric.
Given its reputation as the most-loved IPL team, CSK's fan base is spread far and wide. Many from within the film industry tweeted their appreciation for the team and shared their excitement in the wake of the title win: