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CHENNAI VS. KOLKATA: INDIAN T20 LEAGUE 2021, FINAL | PREDICTION, PLAYING 11 AND FANTASY CRICKET TIPS

Two former champions go for glory as Chennai take on Kolkata in the final of the Indian T20 League at Dubai International Stadium on Friday evening.

Chennai will be playing in their 9th final, which is the most by any side in the history of the league. Except for the last season, Chennai’s pattern of success has been similar, with every individual contributing at crucial times. They have reached the final after winning a thriller in Qualifier 1, with Dhoni finishing off in style.

On the other hand, Kolkata will be playing in their 3rd final, their first since the 2014 triumph. They held their nerves against Delhi in Qualifier 2 by winning in the final over and booked their spot in the final. It has been a phenomenal second leg for the team as they completely transformed their campaign, winning 7 of their last 9 games.

Match Details

  • Game: Chennai vs. Kolkata, Final
  • Venue: Dubai International Cricket Stadium, Dubai
  • Date & Time: Oct. 15, 2021, at 7:30 PM IST/6 PM Local
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Probable Playing XI

Chennai

Ruturaj Gaikwad, Faf du Plessis, Moeen Ali, Robin Uthappa, Ambati Rayudu, Ravindra Jadeja, MS Dhoni (C & WK), Dwayne Bravo, Shardul Thakur, Deepak Chahar, Josh Hazlewood

Kolkata

Shubman Gill, Venkatesh Iyer, Rahul Tripathi, Nitish Rana, Dinesh Karthik (WK), Eoin Morgan (C), Shakib Al Hasan, Sunil Narine, Shivam Mavi, Lockie Ferguson, Varun Chakravarthy

Weather Report

The weather in Dubai is predicted to be hot and humid, with the temperature expected to be around 33 degrees during the match.

Pitch Report

Although the pitches in Dubai have traditionally favored pace bowlers, there has been ample help for the spinners this season. The batters have struggled to put up big scores consistently here, which has led to some close and exciting contests in the previous matches. The average score on this pitch during this season has been 154 runs.

Toss

The team batting second has won 9 of the 12 matches played here as the pitch tends to get a little better to bat on as the match progresses. Putting a total on the board is proving to be difficult in Dubai. That being said, a first-innings score of around 170 runs can be a competitive one here.

Top Fantasy Picks

Wicketkeeper

  • Dinesh Karthik has blown hot and cold in the lower-middle order for Kolkata in this edition. He has scored 214 runs at a strike rate of 131.28 and is yet to cross the 50-run mark. He hasn't gotten many opportunities lately but can be crucial in the final overs with the game on the line. 

Batters

  • Ruturaj Gaikwad is having a phenomenal season, scoring 603 runs at an average of 46.38 strike rate of 138.8, with 4 fifties and a century to his name. He scored a brilliant 70 in the last match and is just 24 runs away from becoming the leading run scorer in this edition.
  • Shubman Gill became the leading run scorer for Kolkata with his consistent batting performances in this edition. He has been aggressive in the Power Play overs in the second leg and scored 427 runs in 16 matches. Expect him to get the team off to a good start here.

All-rounder

  • Venkatesh Iyer has easily been the most influential player for Kolkata in the second leg. His hitting abilities in the Power Play overs has been key to the resurgence of the team in the UAE. Iyer has scored 320 runs in nine matches at an average of 40 and picked up 3 wickets too.

Bowlers

  • Lockie Ferguson has been the unsung hero in Kolkata's bowling unit, with spinners hogging all the limelight. He has been clever with his searing pace and slow-ball variations, delivering wickets at crucial times. He has taken 13 wickets in seven matches at an economy rate of 6.46. This will be his first game at this venue in this edition.
  • Shardul Thakur has been picked in the Indian revised T20 World Cup squad, a reward for his outstanding wicket-taking form in the second leg. He is the highest wicket taker for Chennai this season, taking 18 wickets at an economy rate of 8.57. He went wicketless for the first time in eight matches and will be looking to bounce back in this all important fixture.

Howzat Dream Team

  • Wicketkeeper: D Karthik
  • Batters: R Gaikwad, F du Plessis, S Gill
  • All-rounders: D Bravo, R Jadeja, V Iyer, S Narine
  • Bowlers: S Thakur, S Mavi, L Ferguson
  • Captain: R Gaikwad/D Bravo
  • Vice Captain: S Narine/V Iyer
INDIAN T20 LEAGUE 2021, FINAL: CHN vs KOL – HOWZAT Dream Team

NOTE: The Howzat dream team above is just a suggestion. You can select your own fantasy 11, and play all the fantasy cricket matches from the Indian T20 League. Also, don’t forget to make any necessary changes to your team once the actual playing 11 is announced by each team (30 minutes before the start of the match) as some players you have selected might not be part of the team suggested.

Get fantasy cricket tips on your favorite fantasy sports app and select your own team, Howzat!

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