The most awaited Finale of IPL 2021 took place yesterday at the Dubai International Stadium. After two phases of extreme gameplay, both the finalist Chennai Super Kings and the Kolkata Knight Riders faced each other.
Pitch conditions were, as usual, dry and KKR expected that the dew factor might come into play later down the game and so they decided to field first after winning the toss.
CSK defeated the KKR by 27 runs and managed to win their fourth IPL title in the history of the tournament. The all-around performance of each of the players has contributed to the success of the team.
Also, the IPL yesterday in Dubai witnessed huge support for the ‘Yellow Army”. Dhoni too acknowledged the fans for superbly diluting with the game and supporting their hearts out. MS Dhoni was also heard thanking the crowd for giving the players the vibes of Chepauk (Chennai’s home ground in India).
Let us have a look and analyze the key aspects of the finale.
A champions’ knock
Faf du Plessis and Ruturaj Gaikwad- the star openers for CSK contributing more than 50 percent of the total runs scored by CSK this season, started the show yesterday with a bang.
Both of them were seen to be playing with a free hand without any pressure. They started cautiously but hitting around the boundaries often.
It was the ninth over running when Gaikwad fall prey to the in-form Sunil Narine- the man to strike first for KKR. With an opening partnership of 61 runs, Gaikwad left the show scoring 32 runs from 27 balls.
After the initial partnership with the bat, CSK was seen to be building partnership with every batsman that took the stunts along with Faf.
Robin Uthappa came right after Gaikwad and was seen to be explosively hitting sixes around the park bringing all the fans to their feet in joy. He struck at a rate of 206.6 for CSK with the bat scoring a quick 31 runs from just 15 balls.
Narine from KKR struck again during the 14th over and thus sent back the dangerous-looking Uthappa to the pavilion.
After him, it was Moeen Ali with the bat that stunned everyone. Powerfully striking fours and sixes all around along with Faf, Ali remained not out scoring 37 runs from just 20 balls, striking at a rate of 185.
Sunil Narine with the bowl for KKR, bowled all his four overs conceding just 26 runs and taking two vital wickets for the side.
Apart from Narine, it was Shivam Mavi from KKR who bowled considerably well and also managed to pick a wicket for his team.
At the end of 20 overs, CSK posted a huge score of 192/3 as a target set for the KKR.
The dramatic chase
The young most feared and dangerous duo from KKR – Shubman Gill and Venkatesh Iyer started the chase in style. Although Iyer was put down by MS Dhoni initially, both of them were seen to be calm and composed when considering their performances.
The way both the batters started, it was a different outcome than was expected out of the Knight Riders initially. Both the openers were hitting the bowlers out of the park-like it’s a piece of cake and they were hitting the bowl on such a slow pitch like it was never challenging for them.
During the running of the 11th over, it was Shardul Thakur to break the partnership. Iyer left the show right after scoring an admirable 50 from just 32 bowls.
Right after the dismissal of Iyer, on one side Shubman Gill carried on with the responsibility and KKR were 108 when Gill left scoring 51 runs from 43 deliveries. Deepak Chahar from CSK got him with a plumb LBW.
After that, the whole batting line-up of KKR started to collapse and thus failing to reach the desired target to claim the title.
MSD with his superb planning skills gave the bowl to five bowlers where each one bowled their quota of four overs along with performing out-of-the-ordinary. They executed their plans well right after the dismissal of the dangerous KKR openers and it was a major reason for the success of CSK as a team this season.
Shardul Thakur managed to take three vital wickets which even changed the course of the game towards them. Every bowler from CSK bowled superbly and was economic as well while giving away runs and also each managing to take at least a wicket for their team.
Faf du Plessis was the man-of-the-match for his out-of-the-ordinary performance with the bat.
Therefore, it is quite evident that the fourth IPL title for CSK came as a result of the overall team performance and extraordinary mentorship by the vastly experienced MS Dhoni.