Kolkata Knight Riders stunned the Delhi Capitals in the second qualifying match, thanks to a match-winning six by Rahul Tripathi in the final over. The Knight Riders campaign has gained a lot of confidence after winning the contest. However, they were defeated by CSK in both of their round-robin league matches of IPL 14. Therefore, Chennai Super Kings will be the most confident side in the IPL 2021 final. Let's take a look at some crucial stats ahead of the final between CSK and KKR.  

Match Schedule: IPL 2021 Final        

The final match of the IPL 2021 will be played on Friday (October 15) at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium between Chennai Super Kings and Kolkata Knight Riders. The match will begin at 8 p.m. (Bangladesh Standard Time).

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Chennai Super Kings Team News

Chennai's campaign is in high spirits after winning a terrific match against Delhi Capitals in the qualifier 1. Captain MS Dhoni played a crucial part in that match, which is a positive sign for Chennai.  

Chennai's opener Ruturaj Gaikwad has been the most productive batter in this year's competition. He should play a key role for CSK in the last match. On the other hand, Shardul Thakur has been the most booming bowler for Chennai. He has the ability to provide breakthroughs when required.    

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Table 1: Notable Performers of Chennai Super Kings

Source: https://www.espncricinfo.com/ 

In order to maintain the winning combination, Chennai is expected to pick the same lineup for the finals as they did for the first qualifier.

Predicted playing XI

Ruturaj Gaikwad, Faf du Plessis, Moeen Ali, Ambati Rayudu, Robin Uthappa, MS Dhoni (captain & wicket-keeper), Ravindra Jadeja, Deepak Chahar, Shardul Thakur, Dwayne Bravo, Josh Hazlewood.

Read IPL 2021 Qualifier 1: Magnificent MS Dhoni Powers Chennai into Final

Kolkata Knight Riders Team News

Kolkata squad is in a fantastic spirit after a spectacular victory over Delhi on Wednesday (October 13). Kolkata's openers have been in splendid form. One of their main batsmen, Rahul Tripathi played a crucial part in the previous match. He will be a key player in the final in Kolkata's batting line-up. 

Kolkata's most successful batsman is Shubman Gill, while the most flourishing bowler is Varun Chakravarthy.

Table 2: Notable Performers of Kolkata Knight Riders

Source: https://www.espncricinfo.com/ 

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The Kolkata team may use the same playing XI in the championship match that competed in the second qualifier, as retaining the winning combination would help to keep the momentum going.

Predicted playing XI

Venkatesh Iyer, Shubman Gill, Rahul Tripathi, Nitish Rana, Eoin Morgan (captain), Sunil Narine, Shakib Al Hasan, Dinesh Karthik (wicket-keeper), Shivam Mavi, Lockie Ferguson, Varun Chakravarthy.

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Head-to-Head Record   

Here are some crucial statistics between the two teams ahead of the IPL 2021 final.

Table 3: Head-to-Head Record between CSK and KKR

Source: https://www.espncricinfo.com/ 

Verdict

The crucial championship match between Kolkata Knight Riders and Chennai Super Kings will take place in Dubai. This would be Chennai's 9th IPL final. However, they haven't won the title since 2018. On the other hand, Kolkata will be playing in their third IPL final, with their most recent triumph coming in 2014.

Chennai began the IPL 2021 season as a favorite. They will continue to be favorites against Kolkata to win the championship for the fourth time. The Kolkata team has proved that they are a tough contender during their second qualifying match. Overall, we are on our way to a mouth-watering contest.

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