IPL 2021 Final: CSK beat KKR to add fourth title to their cabinet

Chennai Super Kings (CSK) defeated Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) by 27 runs to win their fourth Indian Premier League (IPL) title. CSK was on a roll throughout the season and the final was no different. They outplayed KKR in every department and marched their way to the title.

The only thing that went in KKR’s favour was the toss. However, it was all CSK after that. Put into bat, CSK openers got the team off to a blazing start. Ruturaj Gaikwad and Faf du Plessis have been instrumental in CSK’s dominant run and they were once again at it, taking the KKR bowlers to the cleaners. They added 61 runs for the first wicket before Gaikwad departed for 32. However, Faf was in stunning form and kept on milking runs. He was joined by Robin Uthappa, who continued the momentum by scoring at a strike rate of 206. KKR tried to pull things back a little by bowling a couple of quiet overs and picking up the wicket of Robin Uthappa but Moeen Ali’s blistering knock of 20-ball 37 pushed CSK to a daunting 192.

Chasing 193, KKR was in the game till the openers were out there. Both Shubman Gill and Venkatesh Iyer stroked half-centuries but once they were dismissed, KKR batting fell like a pack of cards.

KKR did lose the match but they can hold their head high given the way they have played. They had a disappointing run in the India leg of the tournament but turned things around their way in UAE. They won five of their seven league games, defeated RCB in the Eliminator and then Delhi Capitals in the Qualifier 2 to book the title clash with CSK.