Chennai Super Kings beat Kolkata Knight Riders by 27 runs in the IPL 2021 final in Dubai to claim their fourth title in the competition.
Kolkata Knight Riders had won the toss and put Dhoni’s Chennai Super Kings into batting first.
Led by Ruturaj Gaikwad and South African Faf Du Plessis, CSK got off to a flying start racing to 61 runs in 8 overs before Gaikwad fell to Sunil Narine.
Du Plessis carried on the momentum and chose the final to play perhaps his best knock of the tournament. Robin Uthappa chipped with a fantastic cameo hitting 3 sixes to score 31 off just 15 balls.
This was followed by Moeen Ali adding finishing touches to the innings with Faf as the English allrounder scored a quick fire 37 of 20 balls. Du Plessis went out for 86 runs of 59 balls to help CSK post a credible 192/3 in 20 overs.
Kolkata falter after Rapid Start
KKR’s reply chasing this huge target was perfect. Shubman Gill and Venkatesh Iyer took on the Chennai bowling with ease and smashing them all over the park, reigniting hopes of a repeat of 2012 final when they chased down 191 against the same opponents.
Iyer scored 50 of 31 balls and Gill was leading the charge at the other end with KKR 91/0 IN 10.3 overs.
Despite being under pressure, Dhoni’s calmness and courage prevailed yet again. First Iyer and then new man Nitish Rana fell to Shradul Thakur in the same over, then Sunil Narine departed for 2 runs, dismissed by Josh Hazlewood and when Shubman Gill was trapped lbw by Deepak Chahar in the 14th over just after completing his half century, KKR were reeling at 108 /4 and never quite recovered.
Wickets continued to tumble as Eoin Morgan, Dinesh Karthik and Shakib Al Hasan failed to deliver on the big occasion with a large total on the board.
Redemption for CSK
“We’ll come back stronger, that’s what we are known for,” those were the words of MS Dhoni after CSK failed to qualify for the playoffs for the first time last year.
And what a comeback it was for Chennai Super Kings as a team as well as for MS Dhoni as a captain. A fourth IPL title win, which now puts them only one behind the record winners Mumbai Indians who have the tournament 5 times.
For now the win, the night and the glory all belong to the Super Kings.
