IPL 2021 Final, CSK VS KKR: Records plentiful as Chennai is crowned champion for 4th time

Kolkata Knight Riders failed to grab its third IPL title, while Chennai Super Kings claimed its fourth title following a 27-run win, while an abundance of records was scripted.

It was dominating gameplay 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 bagged its fourth title, while KKR awaits his third, as we look at the numerous records scripted during the match, along with the win.

Ruturaj Gaikwad romps most for the season
- Gaikwad has scored 635 runs this season, thanks to his innings of 32 tonight. Consequently, he has finished the season as the highest run-scorer, earning the Orange Cap.
- Also, he and Faf du Plessis have raked up the third most partnership runs for the season (756), after David Warner - Jonny Bairstow (791 in 2019) and Virat Kohli - AB de Villiers (939 in 2016).
- It is the third time that two players from the same side (Gaikwad-du Plessis) have scored 600-plus in a season, after Kohli (973) & de Villiers (687) in 2016, and Chris Gayle (708) & Kohli (634) in 2013, both for Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB).
- Also, Gaikwad has become the second man in IPL history to win the purple cap and win the title in the same season, after his CSK teammate Robin Uthappa with KKR in 2014.
- He is also the first to win the Orange Cap and the Emerging Player of the Year award in the same season.

KKR concedes the most
- KKR yielded 81 runs in the middle-over tonight. It is the most it has conceded in the UAE leg of IPL 2021.
- Also, pacer Lockie Ferguson conceded 56 tonight, which is his most this season, going past 54 last season and the joint-most in the UAE leg. It is also the second-most in an IPL final.

CSK scores a highest
- 192/3 is the second-highest score by a side batting first in the UAE leg this season, while the list is led by Mumbai Indians (MI): 235/9 against SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH).
- It is also the first instance of the top-four batters from a side scoring 30-plus in an IPL final.

Shubman Gill-Venkatesh Iyer score a best
Gill and Iyer have contributed 508 runs together this season, which is KKR's second-best in a season, after Gautam Gambhir - Brendon McCullum (533 in 2012) and Gambhir - Robin Uthappa (566 in 2016).

Eoin Morgan registers a lowest
Morgan averaged just 11.08 this season. It is the third-lowest by a batter in any season, with the lowest being Nicholas Pooran (7.73) this season.

Stephen Fleming: The best coach
Fleming has won his fourth IPL title as a coach, all coming with CSK. Incidentally, he has become the most successful IPL coach after Mahela Jayawardene (3).

Dwayne Bravo become second best
Bravo has claimed his 167th IPL wicket, thus becoming the second-most wicket-taker in the tournament history, going past Amit Mishra (166) and is just three behind leader Lasith Malinga (170).

Ambati Rayudu joins a special list
Rayudu won his fifth IPL title as a player. As a result, he is the joint second-most successful player in IPL history, along with Kieron Pollard, while Rohit Sharma (6) leads the chart.

Match summary
Winning the toss and electing to bowl, CSK posted a mammoth total of 192/3, du Plessis anchoring the innings with a well-played 86. In reply, KKR succumbed despite a promising opening start, thanks to a consolidated bowling effort, thus winning by 27 runs and claiming the fourth title.
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.