Chennai Super Kings and Kolkata Knight Riders are locking horns in the final of the Indian Premier League 2021 in Dubai. CSK are playing in their ninth final and have a fourth title in sight. On the other hand, this is KKR’s third IPL final and they are eyeing a third IPL title.
Eoin Morgan won the toss and kept the trend going as he decided to bowl first. Both teams fielded an unchanged playing XI for the summit clash.
Also Read: Faf du Plessis is available for selection confirms CSK CEO
Ruturaj Gaikwad and Faf du Plessis took CSK off to a good start. Gaikwad needed to score 24 runs to claim the orange cap and he did it inside the powerplay. The duo notched up the 50-run partnership in the powerplay as CSK scored 50/0 in six overs. Gaikwad got out after scoring 32 runs and Robin Uthappa walked out to bat at 3.
He started cutting loose as soon as he came out. Uthappa smashed three sixes in his innings of 31 runs before getting out to Sunil Narine. Meanwhile, Du Plessis scored yet another fifty in the IPL 2021. He found a good partner in Moeen Ali. Both batsmen tore the KKR bowling lineup apart and scored 68 runs in less than 7 overs.
Du Plessis was close to leapfrog Gaikwad in the orange cap’s list but he got out on the last ball when he needed 2 runs to tie with his opening partner at 635 runs. Du Plessis scored 86 runs in 59 balls where he hit seven fours and three sixes. Moeen Ali remained not out on 37 in 20 balls, which featured two fours and three sixes.
Also Read: Faf du Plessis suffers groin injury in CPL, major blow for CSK
See how Twitter reacted;
Moeen Ali has returned to form at just the right time. In the India leg, he was outstanding for #CSK. Might still have a role to play with the ball.
— Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) October 15, 2021
Their openers are the top two run-scorers in the tournament and that is a huge reason why #CSK are in with a very good chance of winning no 4.
— Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) October 15, 2021
In both finals they have been in #KKR have chased in excess of 190 successfully. Bit I suspect these might be enough for #CSK
— Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) October 15, 2021
31(15) in the middle overs is an outstanding performance. @robbieuthappa. There is always a touch of class about him when he gets going
— Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) October 15, 2021
This is going to be an interesting final!
Who is the captain in your team tonight ? #IPLFinal #KKRvsCSK #CSKvsRR #IPL2021Final— Ridhima Pathak (@PathakRidhima) October 15, 2021
You don’t need firepower when’s there’s place and even bounce. Just good cricket shots and timing
— Herschelle Gibbs (@hershybru) October 15, 2021
Superb batting performance by #CSK, taming the much vaunted #KKR attack. Batting pitch no doubt, but 192 not easy to overhaul. Tripathi’s doubtful, so KKR’s top order could be weakened. Much depends on in form openers Iyer and Gill
— Cricketwallah (@cricketwallah) October 15, 2021
Gaikwad 32
Du Plessis 86
Uthappa 31
Moeen 37*This is the first instance of top-4 batsmen scoring 30+ for a team in an #IPLfinal #CSKvsKKR #IPL2021
— Bharath Seervi (@SeerviBharath) October 15, 2021
What incredible batting by @faf1307, overall a total,beyond par for @ChennaiIPL, very stiff target for @KKRiders! Looking like 4th time for Csk! #CSKvsKKR #KKRvCSK #IPLFinal
— Kris Srikkanth (@KrisSrikkanth) October 15, 2021
#CSK’s best batting display this season and #KKR’s worst bowling performance is making the final seem a gross mismatch. So far
— Cricketwallah (@cricketwallah) October 15, 2021
Small mistakes in Big matches are costly #KKR #CSKvKKR
— S.Badrinath (@s_badrinath) October 15, 2021
Chennai Super Kings (Playing XI): Ruturaj Gaikwad, Faf du Plessis, Robin Uthappa, Moeen Ali, Ambati Rayudu, MS Dhoni(w/c), Ravindra Jadeja, Dwayne Bravo, Shardul Thakur, Deepak Chahar, Josh Hazlewood.
Kolkata Knight Riders (Playing XI): Shubman Gill, Venkatesh Iyer, Nitish Rana, Rahul Tripathi, Dinesh Karthik(w), Eoin Morgan(c), Shakib Al Hasan, Sunil Narine, Lockie Ferguson, Shivam Mavi, Varun Chakaravarthy.
