IPL 2021 Final, CSK vs KKR: Faf du Plessis's batting heroics hand Chennai a 27-run win and fourth title

It was an explosive batting performance from Chennai Super Kings (CSK), as it defeated former champion Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) by 27 runs in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2021 final at the Dubai International Stadium on Friday. Consequently, CSK has won its fourth IPL title.

Winning the toss, KKR skipper Eoin Morgan opted to bowl first, with both sides moving in with an unchanged XI. The CSK openers were off to a fierce start, with Ruturaj Gaikwad (32) and Faf du Plessis (86) contributing to a 63-run stand before mystery spinner Sunil Narine got rid of the former in the ninth over.

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At the same time, du Plessis was handed a lifeline after a missed stumping chance, while he contributed to a 63-run stand for the second wicket with Robin Uthappa (31), as the former brought up his 22nd IPL half-century before the latter was trapped leg-before by Narine in the 14th. However, it did not stop the former from going all guns blazing, and along with Moeen Ali (37), he put up a 68-run stand for the third wicket, as pacer Shivam Mavi got rid of du Plessis in the final ball of the innings, with CSK handing a hefty target of 193 to KKR.

KKR put six bowlers into the attack. While Narine was the most impactful of all, medium-pacer Venkatesh Iyer was incredibly economical.

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During the chase, the KKR openers, Shubman Gill (51) and Venkatesh Iyer (51) were off to a decent start, scoring 91 runs before the latter fell to pacer Shardul Thakur in the 11th, followed by Nitish Rana (0), three runs later in the same man in the very over. It was thereon that KKR barely managed any partnerships, with most of the batters falling in single figures, while Gill was the fourth to fall, to pacer Deepak Chahar in the 14th.

Batters between three to eight fell in single figures, including Morgan (4) and an injured Rahul Tripathi (2). Although the pair of Ferguson (18*) and Mavi (20) provided some fightback in the end with a 39-run stand for the ninth wicket, it was nothing more than a cameo, as CSK eventually won the game by 27 runs and the title.

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CSK put five bowlers into the attack. While Thakur had the most success, claiming three, Hazlewood and Bravo were the most economical of all.
Brief scores: CSK 192/3 (Gaikwad- 32, du Plessis- 86*, Uthappa- 31, Moeen- 37; Narine- 2/26) defeated KKR 165/9 (Gill- 51, Iyer- 50; Thakur- 3/38) by 27 runs.