MS Dhoni-led CSK thrash KKR to win IPL 2021 trophy, become 4-time champions

Faf du Plessis' 86-run knock backed up by a spirited bowling performance helped Chennai Super Kings thrash Kolkata Knight Riders by 27 runs to clinch the IPL 2021 trophy. Notably, this is the fourth IPL trophy for the MS Dhoni-led team which makes them the second-most successful side in the history of the tournament. Mumbai Indians are on top as they have five IPL trophies in their kitty.

CSK previously won the tournament in 2010, 2011, and 2018.

Defending 192, CSK restricted KKR to 165/9 to lift the coveted trophy and made a dreamy comeback after horrible last season, where they finished seventh in the points table and failed to make it to the playoffs stage for the first time in the tournament's history.

Urs Anbuden Everywhere #SuperCham21ons#CSKvKKR #WhistlePodu #Yellove  pic.twitter.com/d1o6VNnxE4 — Chennai Super Kings - Mask Pdu Whistle Pdu! (@ChennaiIPL) October 15, 2021

Chasing 193, KKR got off to a rollicking start as the opening duo of Venkatesh Iyer and Shubman Gill put on 55 runs inside the first six overs. Iyer continued with his form and he brought up his half-century off just 31 balls in the 10th over of the innings. It seemed like the opening stand was finally broken by Ravindra Jadeja as he had Gill caught, but the replays showed the ball hit the 'spider-cam', and hence it was deemed as 'dead ball' and the batter got a reprieve. At the halfway mark, KKR's score read 88/0.

However, Iyer (50) was finally sent back to the pavilion in the 11th over by Shardul Thakur and the 91-run opening stand came to an end. In the very same over, Nitish Rana was dismissed for a duck, and KKR was reduced to 93/2, still needing 100 runs for the win from 54 balls.

The next to fall for KKR were Sunil Narine (2), Shubman Gill (51), Dinesh Karthik (9), and Shakib Al Hasan (0) and the innings quickly derailed with Eoin Morgan's side left at 120/6 in the 15th over, still needing 73 runs for the win. In the end, the task proved too much for KKR, and CSK ended up winning the IPL 2021 title.

Perfectly apt#CSKvsKKR #IPLFinal #Csk#ChampionsCSK pic.twitter.com/xT5xucbHaB — kapalam paguluddhi (@Akhandatweets) October 15, 2021

Earlier, Faf du Plessis brought his A-game to play a knock of 86 runs and help CSK post a total of 192/3 against KKR. Sent into bat, CSK got off to a steady start as openers Ruturaj Gaikwad and Faf du Plessis put on 50 runs inside the first six overs. During this course, Gaikwad went on to leapfrog KL Rahul to become the leading run-scorer in this year's IPL. The much-needed breakthrough to KKR was provided by Sunil Narine as he dismissed Gaikwad (32) in the 9th over, ending the 61-run opening stand.

Faf du Plessis continued on his merry way and he completed his half-century in the 11th over of the innings with CSK nicely poised at 97/1. Robin Uthappa scored 31 off 15 balls and he proved a perfect foil to Faf and the duo put on 63 runs for the second wicket. However, Narine once again got among the action as he dismissed Uthappa in the 14th over, reducing CSK to 124/2.

Moeen Ali next came out to bat and he also played the very same way and KKR bowlers were left searching for answers. In the final three overs, CSK managed to add 39 more runs, taking the score past the 190-run mark. For Dhoni's side, Moeen remained unbeaten 37.

Brief Scores: CSK 192/3 (Faf du Plessis 86, Moeen Ali 37*; Sunil Narine 2-26) vs KKR 165/9 (Shubman Gill 51, Venkatesh Iyer 50; Shardul Thakur 3-38).