During Qualifier 1 between Chennai Super Kings and Gujarat Titans on Monday (May 22), it was announced on air that the BCCI had partnered with the Tata Group to launch a tree-planting campaign for the final week of the tournament.

For every dot ball bowled in the four playoff matches, 500 trees will be planted across India. In tandem with this, the dot ball markers on the TV coverage of the tournament have also been changed to tree symbols.

In the first qualifier, when CSK sealed their place in Sunday’s final, 84 dot balls were bowled, resulting in 42,000 tree saplings being planted. In the Eliminator match between Mumbai Indians and Gujarat Titans, 96 dot balls were bowled as Lucknow Super Giants were bowled out for 101 by Mumbai Indians – meaning 48,000 trees were planted.

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During his stunning five-wicket-haul, Akash Madhwal bowled 17 dot deliveries out of 21 he bowled in the match. This means Madhwal’s spell alone was responsible for 8,500 tree saplings being planted.

At the end of the Eliminator match, the dot ball count stood at 68, amounting to a total of 34,000. The total tally before the final, hence, stood at 124,000.

The final was a reduced affair, with rain taking away five of the overs. Chennai Super Kings bowled 27 dots, a list headed by Maheesh Theekshana (8) and Matheesha Pathirana (7).

Chennai needed to chase 171 in 15 overs, which resulted in fewer dots during their innings. The Gujarat Titans still managed 19 dot balls, of which Noor Ahmad bowled six and Mohammed Shami five.

Across the four playoffs, thus, there were 294 dot balls. This will result in the planting of 147,000 saplings.