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CSK and KKR have set up a high-profile finale to wind up an entertaining edition of the Indian Premier League.
The Super Kings have had a fairly consistent run throughout the tournament, and their run of form has remained consistent right from the off. However, it is Kolkata’s entry into the puzzle that makes up for a Bollywood story.
They were down and out after the Indian leg came to an abrupt end, losing five games in seven. The breakage in play turned out to be a blessing in disguise for Eoin Morgan and company, who turned things upside down and made it to the top-four.
They became only the third team in the Premier League history to enter the final coming through the Eliminator. Sunrisers Hyderabad did it in 2016 and ended up winning the title, but before them, it was KKR’s Friday’s opponents, Chennai Super Kings, in 2012.
They famously defeated Mumbai Indians and Delhi Capitals to set up a clash with the KKR back then, and here they are once again.
Both sides featured in the ICC Champions League final in 2014 just one day after the auspicious Indian festival “Durga Puja”, and this time, they will battle for the ultimate prize on the final day of Navratri, adding to the festive time in the country.
Chennai registered a stunning final-over win against Delhi in Qualifier 1, powered by a brilliant MS Dhoni finish. Kolkata had to come a long way, beating Bangalore in the Eliminator and Delhi in the second Qualifier.
Both sides have an interesting record in IPL finals, with KKR winning both the finals they previously featured in, whilst Chennai have lost five and won three.
Key players
The man who played a pivotal role in KKR’s stunning comeback, Venkatesh Iyer has registered 320 runs already despite not playing a single game in the opening half.
He chipped in with a match-winning half-century in Qualifier 2, and has been striking at over 125 in the tournament. His ability to chip in with the ball when needed, picking up three wickets in the limited opportunities he got.
It seemed like KKR had lost their undisputed trust in Sunil Narine at the start, but the iconic off-breaker turned things around in the UAE.
He chipped in with a sensational all-round performance against Royal Challengers Bangalore, picking up 4 wickets and a crucial 26-run knock. He chipped in with 14 wickets in 13 games, at an economy of 6.44.
KKR’s unsung hero this season, Varun Chakravarthy has not conceded at over 30 runs in a single game since entering UAE. He has picked up 18 wickets in 16 games, at an economy of 6.41 and has been an important presence in their line-up. He chipped in with spells of 0/20 in 4 overs against Bangalore in the Eliminator and 2/26 in 4 overs against Delhi in Qualifier 2.
One of the best batters of the tournament, Ruturaj Gaikwad is still in contention for the orange cap, and is 23 runs short of KL Rahul.
Gaikwad has scored 603 runs in 15 innings for the side at an average of 46.38 and a strike-rate of 137.36. He smashed a 50-ball 70 in the first qualifier to knock Delhi off the perch and has been a consistent source of runs for Chennai throughout the tournament.
Faf du Plessis had his best-ever IPL return in the 2021 edition, scoring 547 runs in 15 knocks at an average in excess of 40 and a strike-rate of 137.09.
The South African veteran has been Chennai’s major aggressor at the top, and his best score this edition came against Friday’s opponents, KKR. He scored a 60-ball 95 in April and followed it up with another 43-run knock in the UAE leg against the men in purple.
Prediction
The Chennai Super Kings are second only to Mumbai Indians in terms of success in the Indian Premier League, and a win here will take them annoyingly close to them in their chase for the title “Best in the business”. Their unreal consistency over the years is a testament to their brilliance, and they reached their 9th IPL final in 12 editions.
They won the tournament in 2010, 2011 and 2018, and lost the final on five different occasions in 2008, 2012, 2013, 2015, 2019. They are desperate to not make it six defeats in finals, and in what could potentially be MS Dhoni’s final season for CSK, they would love to win a trophy for him.
However, Kolkata will have three crowns in their cabinet if they win on Friday, which will put them on level terms with Chennai. They have lost just two games since entering the UAE, whilst CSK have lost three. Form favours them by fine margins, and we can expect the title to be decided on fine margins as well.
