The fifth season of Indian Premier League draws to a close on Sunday with the final match to be played between Chennai Super Kings and Kolkata Knight Riders.
What started off with nine teams, the race has narrowed down to two now, after seven weeks of action and 75 matches played.
Chennai Super Kings will be in familiar territory as they eye their third consecutive title. In addition, they will be playing in front of their home crowd and that could be a significant advantage.
Their entry into this year’s final has been a combination of luck as well as hardwork, having beaten Mumbai Indians and Delhi Daredevils in must-win matches. MS Dhoni and Dwayne Bravo have provided the oomph to the score that has been enough for the bowlers to defend.
Murali Vijay’s century in the last match also signals to the opposition to not focus only on certain individuals. The bowling workload will be managed by Ravi Ashwin while Bravo has been phenomenal with his variation in the death overs.
For the Kolkata Knight Riders, it is already a moment of history having qualified for the final for the first time in the history of IPL. Their entry came through the relatively easier route, beating Delhi Daredevils in the qualifier by 18 runs.
For a team that has usually found it difficult to decide on the best team combination, it is a great achievement to be in the finals. Moreover, they will be more than a handful in the final with the dangerous Yusuf Pathan rediscovering his form while Sunil Narine remaining their trump card with the ball.
Jacques Kallis’ experience lends further depth to the team while Shakib al Hasan may also play given his all-round capabilities.
The match will be played in Chennai starting at 8.00pm as the fans are expecting a cracking encounter to draw curtains on a thrilling season.