IPL 2021 final, CSK vs KKR: Here is the preview
Chennai Super Kings and Kolkata Knight Riders will be at loggerheads in the grand finale of 2021 Indian Premier League (IPL) season. The Dubai International Cricket Stadium is set to host the summit clash. KKR defeated Delhi Capitals by three wickets in the Qualifier 2. They will meet the Yellow Army in what will be a repeat of the 2012 IPL final.
Here is the head-to-head record
CSK have had the edge over KKR in the head-to-head meetings. The two teams have clashed in 24 matches, with CSK winning 16 of them (win percentage: 66.67). Meanwhile, KKR have managed to win eight games (win percentage: 33.33). Notably, CSK have won five of the last six encounters against KKR. They beat KKR twice in the 2021 season.
H2H record in the UAE: CSK 2-1 KKR
CSK and KKR have met a total of three times in the UAE. In the 2020 season, the Knight Riders won the first game between them (Abu Dhabi). The Yellow Army bounced back in the following match, claiming a six-wicket win (Dubai). Meanwhile, CSK beat KKR by two wickets in the UAE leg this season (Abu Dhabi).
Pitch report and TV listing
The Dubai International Cricket Stadium will play host to the final. It will begin at 7:30 PM IST. Notably, CSK won the Qualifier 1 on this venue. Both teams scored in excess of 170 runs. The surface here assists everyone in phases. One can watch the match live on the Star Sports Network and stream the same on the Hotstar app (paid subscription).
CSK will likely play the same XI
CSK are unlikely to change their Playing XI in the final. The Yellow Army will back Robin Uthappa, who impressed with a 63-run knock at number three against DC. Suresh Raina might have to warm the bench again. Probable XI: Ruturaj Gaikwad, Faf du Plessis, Moeen Ali, Uthappa, Ambati Rayudu, MS Dhoni (captain, wicket-keeper), Ravindra Jadeja, Dwayne Bravo, Shardul Thakur, Deepak Chahar, Josh Hazlewood.
Andre Russell's availability still in doubt
In the Qualifier 2, Venkatesh Iyer and Shubman set up an ideal platform for KKR to chase 136. Although KKR won, they survived a middle-order collapse toward the end. It remains to be seen if Andre Russell rejoins the XI. Probable XI: Gill, Iyer, Tripathi, Nitish Rana, Eoin Morgan (captain), Dinesh Karthik (wicket-keeper), Sunil Narine, Shakib Al Hasan, Lockie Ferguson, Shivam Mavi, Varun Chakravarthy.
Here are the top performers
Suresh Raina has smashed 829 runs from 26 games at a strike rate of 136.57 against KKR. In the bowling segment, Karn Sharma has taken 17 wickets with the best bowling performance of 4/16. Against CSK, Karthik has aggregated 578 runs at a strike rate of 131.06, while Narine has picked up 18 wickets with the best match haul of 3/41.
A look at the talking points
KKR will play their third IPL final. They have a perfect record in the finals, having won the tournament in 2012 and 2014. Kolkata beat Chennai in the 2012 final. Besides, CSK had reached their ninth IPL final. They did so previously in 2008, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2015, 2018, and 2019. The Yellow Army were crowned champions in 2010, 2011, and 2018.
