IPL 2021 Final Match Prediction: Chennai Super Kings versus Kolkata Knight Riders. The Final. Who Will Win?

The final of the 2021 IPL is upon us! We shall have the Chennai Super Kings taking on the Kolkata Knight Riders for the right to lift the trophy.

The Chennai Super Kings have been the most consistent team this year and breezed into the playoffs, where they overcame a tough challenge against the Delhi Capitals. The Kolkata Knight Riders have had a more dramatic and longer route to the showpiece match. They were sitting in seventh place when the competition restarted in the UAE, but seven wins from nine matches have seen them reach the final. Who will go on to lift this prestigious trophy? Read our Final IPL prediction to find out.

Chennai Super Kings Team Preview

The Chennai Super Kings got over the line in the game against the Delhi Capitals thanks to some vintage finishing from MS Dhoni. Once again, Ruturaj Gaikwad played really well and was the team's anchor, while Robin Uthappa's emergence was a nice surprise for everyone.

However, we feel that the Chennai Super Kings will be less suited to the conditions that they are going to find at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium. The indications are that this is going to be a high-scoring game, and this is where they might falter slightly. Sure, they have the batting depth that is needed to win, their opening pair are in great form, but the middle order has been less than convincing for a while now.

Additionally, the CSK bowling attack has struggled a bit in recent games. They were able to land the win against the DC because their opponents did not have the batting depth to keep attacking their bowlers in the middle overs. This will not be the case when they take on the KKR.

One big concern for their bowling department is the fact that Deepak Chahar has struggled for wickets during the powerplay, while Dwayne Bravo has been quite expensive at times, which is something the opposition will be well aware of. They have plenty of experience of playing and being victorious in big games, but they are certainly beatable.

Kolkata Knight Riders Team Preview

The Kolkata Knight Riders wrote what can possibly be classified as the most dramatic turnaround in the history of the IPL. They have come back from the brink to book a place in the final with some great performances. It is nice to see that the majority of the players behind their turnaround are young Indians that do not have a huge reputation, as of yet.

Rahul Tripathi, Venkatesh Iyer, Ntish Rana, and Shubman Gill are the four batsmen that have been carrying the Kolkata Knight Riders, while some of their more experienced players have faltered. Will they make the bold decision to play Andre Russel in the final if he is fit to play? We believe that they will, and that probably means that Shakib al Hasan gets left out.

The Dubai venue has offered some assistance to the pacers, which will make the speed of Lockie Ferguson a very dangerous weapon. He has been one of the best fast bowlers of the tournament, making an impact in nearly every match that he has played in.

With Varun Chakravarthy and Sunil Narine both in good form too, the Kolkata Knight Rider's bowling attack looks pretty much sorted. Also, there is absolutely no way that Eoin Morgan is going to allow Gaikwad to get himself set without testing him with some short balls straight away. The Kolkata Knight Riders have never lost an IPL final (they have played in two), and they have a really good chance of making it three from three.

Toss Prediction

The team that goes and wins the important coin toss will want to bowl first. This is a really huge advantage at this stadium as can be seen from the fact that the last eight games have been won by the chasing team. So, keep this in mind when you are making your bets.

Pitch Conditions

The conditions at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium are decent for batting since the ball comes onto the bat nicely. There will also be some bounce that the bowlers can use to their advantage. A high-scoring game where both sides get past the 150 mark is definitely not out of the equation.

Our Match Prediction

We are going to put our money on the Kolkata Knight Riders to lift their third title and complete the fairy tale comeback. They have been in such good form since play restarted in the UAE, and we feel that their team will be better suited to the conditions that they will find in Dubai. Additionally, they have a better bowling unit that the Chennai Super Kings, which should help to negate the disadvantage that they have in their batting department.

Our Match Prediction: