Chennai Super Kings and Kolkata Knight Riders contest the IPL Final in Dubai on Friday and the betting suggests we are in a tense match.
Chennai Super Kings
CSK finished second in the overall standings with a record of 9 wins and 5 defeats. That set up a place in the first qualifier against Delhi Capitals last Sunday and CSK came through with a 4 wicket victory as they chased down a target of 173 for victory with 2 balls to spare. Ruturaj Gaikwad (70) and Robin Uthappa (63) were the star performers in that chase and Josh Hazlewood (2/29) was their top bowler.
The win over Delhi means CSK have been able to rest up for the best part of a week whilst the remainder of the play offs took place. The two clashes with KKR in the regular season both went the way of the Super Kings, by 18 runs in Mumbai in Match 15 on 21st April and by 2 wickets in Abu Dhabi in Match 38 on 26th September.
This is how CSK lined up last time out:
Ruturaj Gaikwad, Faf du Plessis, Moeen Ali, Robin Uthappa, Ambati Rayudu, MS Dhoni (c & wk), Ravindra Jadeja, Dwayne Bravo, Shardul Thakur, Deepak Chahar, Josh Hazlewood
Kolkata Knight Riders
KKR scrambled to make the play off, finishing fourth on the log to squeeze through on net run rate with a record of 7 wins and 7 defeats. They kept themselves in the hunt with a 4 wicket win over RCB in Monday's eliminator, restricting their opponents to 138/7 (Narine 4/21) and getting home with 2 balls to spare.
That set up a clash with Delhi Capitals in Wednesday's second qualifier and KKR won by 3 wickets, chasing down a target of 136 for victory with a ball to spare. KKR had looked totally in control of that chase after Shubman Gill (46) and Venkatesh Iyer (55) had put on 96 for the first wicket but there were 4 ducks further down the order before they got home.
This is how KKR lined up last time out:
Shubman Gill, Venkatesh Iyer, Rahul Tripathi, Nitish Rana, Eoin Morgan (c), Dinesh Karthik (wk), Sunil Narine, Shakib Al Hasan, Lockie Ferguson, Shivam Mavi, Varun Chakaravarthy
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The Betting
To win this match Chennai Super Kings are currently trading at 17/20 with KKR at 10/11.
The most sixes market has CSK at 21/10, KKR at 17/20 and a tie at 11/1.
The most fours market has a different look with CSK at 17/20, KKR at 11/10 and a tie at 10/1.
To post the highest first 6 over total both sides can be backed at 9/10.
Note all prices are correct at the time of writing but are subject to change
The Verdict
CSK had the wood over KKR in the 2 earlier meetings but KKR have built up momentum, first to get into the play offs and then to reach the final so it looks like a coin toss to me when it comes to which team will come out on top.
CSK have the advantage of having played their play off at this venue whilst KKR were in Sharjah but I expect the visitors openers to come out guns blazing and KKR are my vote to post the highest first 6 over total and hit the most sixes.
Bets: Highest first 6 overs KKR at 9/10
Most match 6's KKR at 17/20
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Note all prices are correct at the time of writing but are subject to change
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