Destiny had this written for Dhoni: Hardik Pandya

The summit clash of the Indian Premier League lived up to all the hype and expectations as Chennai Super Kings edged past Gujarat Titans in a last-ball thriller at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. 

Despite being on the losing side, Hardik Pandya was pleased with the performance of the Titans all through the tournament and credited the team for fighting through the odds. 

"I think we tick a lot of boxes as a team. We play with a lot of heart, and I am really proud of the way we kept fighting. We have a motto - we win together, we lose together. I'm not going to make excuses, CSK played the better cricket," he said in the post-match presentation. 

After being asked to bat first, Gujarat were powered to 214 runs in the first innings courtesy off a sublime 96 off 47 deliveries by Sai Sudharsan. The southpaw displayed an array of strokes all around the ground to help the team post a formidable total on the board. 

"We batted really well, and special mention to Sai. It is not easy to play that well at this level. We have been backing the boys and trying to make sure we get the best out of them. But their success is their success," Hardik added. 

Hardik also stated that despite losing the final, he is happy for MS Dhoni and the Super Kings. "I'm very happy for MS, and destiny had this written. If I had to lose, I'd rather lose 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," he concluded.