Shakib powers on: Despite a tiring Jacques Kallis, Shakib continues to keep his side in the game.
Bisla falls on 89: Manvinder Bisla's exquisite knock of 89 off 48 comes to an end as S Badrinath takes a 'catch of relief' to get Chennai Super Kings a vital breakthrough.
Closing in on his century, Bisla played the right shots with the right result, for Kolkata, but it was a slower one from Morkel that finally outdid him.
Bisla has been replaced by L Shukla while Jacques Kallis completed his fifty in the following over.
Fifty for Bisla (Over 8 update): While some were questioning the decision to drop Brendon McCullum, Manvinder Bisla has charged to complete his fifty, off 27 balls, against Chennai Super Kings' 190.
Despite the wicket of Gambhir early, Bisla has managed to be a one-man army for Kolkata as he continues to whack massive sixes with the ease of someone who has had all the form in all of Kolkata's clashes.
Brought in for this match, Bisla's innings has been stoic and 'responsibly brash.'
Kolkata innings, Over 4 update (36/1): Manvinder Bisla has tasted boundaries, chasing Chennai's 190. The visitors at Chepauk would continue to be under pressure as skipper Gautam Gambhir was made to walk back in the first over.
Gambhir has been replaced by Jacques Kallis and the two have since managed to plunder a bit of Chennai's prowess.
Gambhir walks back early: Ben Hilfenhaus strikes in the first over of the innings as he rattles the stumps of Gautam Gambhir (2).
Needing 191 for a win, Gambhir was being looked upon as the man who can set a firm base. It was not to be on Sunday though as pressure to score at a rapid rate was too heavy, it seemed, on the Kolkata skipper.
Innings report: Chennai Super Kings powered their way to 190 with half-centuries from Michael Hussey and Suresh Raina, against Kolkata Knight Riders in the title clash of Indian Premier League 2012.
The final overs, after a whirlwind of an innings from Hussey and Vijay at the top, was all about Suresh Raina throwing caution to the wind. He was supported well by skipper MS Dhoni as even Sunil Narine was taken for 37 off his four.
Raina scored 73 off 38, the highest of the innings.
Fifty for Raina, 54 and no more for Hussey: While Suresh Raina has completed a blinding half-century off 28 balls, his partner in Michael Hussey was bowled moments after by Jacques Kallis.
MS Dhoni has replaced Hussey.
Over 16 update (146/1): The fifty-partnership between Hussey and Suresh Raina was brought up in the 16th over, a clear sign that Chennai now have eyes firmly set on a mammoth total.
Brett Lee was slapped for boundaries again once he returned to finish his last over and the audacity with which even a relatively new Raina is batting, ought to have sent alarm bells ringing in the Kolkata camp.
While Hussey has completed his fifty and followed it up with fluid shots to the fence, Raina too has managed to get his name on the scorecard, courtesy mighty hits.
Interestingly, Sunil Naraine has only bowled two overs till now, giving away 12 runs.
Hussey slams a fifty: The Australian is asking questions off Kolkata bowlers that they do not seem to have the answers to.
Hussey has batted with confidence and took just 38 balls en route to his fifty. Hussey also becomes the first player in IPL to slam a fifty on his birthday. He turns 37 today.
Over 12 update (104/1): Murali Vijay's wicket could have given a sense of calm to Chennai's innings but with a rampaging Michael Hussey joined by an equally ominous Suresh Raina, Kolkata are staring at a huge target.
Raina announced his arrival with a massive six over deep square-leg. The bowler in the experienced Jacques Kallis was left stunned but Kolkata continue to push and try to bring about a break.
Murali Vijay falls: An explosive 42 off 32 with four boundaries and a six was brought to an end when Murali Vijay was forced to walk back to the dug-out. Rajat Bhatia, the bowler, got a fantastic gift from a diving Shakib-al-Han at deep square-leg who took a superb catch to give his side a breakthrough
Chennai innings, over 8 update (69/0): It was what Delhi suffered from and now Kolkata get a first-hand experience of how well Chennai batsmen wield the willow at home. Hussey and Vijay kept spectators busy trying to catch the ball as the visiting bowlers were dispatched with regular and ferocious intensity.
The first fifty was reached inside six overs with Brett Lee being put to the burner. Although a close call, he was even adjudged to have over-stepped and the free-hit was pelted to the fence.
Kolkata skipper brought Iqbal Abdullah as the first change and he managed to get a shimmer of respect for his efforts despite being flicked to long-on for a solitary boundary.
Jacques Kallis and his first over of the match (the eight of the innings) was the solitary over in which the ball did not kiss the boundary even once, although two no-balls were declared for the ball being over the shoulders of the batsmen.
Chennai innings, over 4 update (32/0): Having assessed Kolkata's strategy, openers Michael Hussey and Murali Vijay have opened their arms and given spectators at Chepauk a glimpse of what fans here can expect in the overs to come.
While both Hussey and Vijay took a boundary each from Brett Lee's second, it was the Australian who targeted Shakib's second over to smash him for a boundary and a six.
Chennai innings, over 2 update (6/0): Openers Michael Hussey and Murali Vijay began on a rather watchful note. The tracks green tinge gave it a rather easy bounce.
There were a few close calls as Murali Vijay was found taking it a bit too easy in stealing a single in the second over but a missed direct hit ensured he was home. Brett Lee andShkib-al Hasan began on a pace-spin combination for Kolkata
Toss report: Chennai Super Kings won the toss and opted to bat against Kolkata Knight Riders in the title clash of the Indian Premier League, here on Sunday.
Chennai remain unchanged while Brendon McCullum sits out for Kolkata. Brett Lee and Manvinder Bisla get to play for the Knights.
Squads
Chennai: M Vijay, MEK Hussey, SK Raina, MS Dhoni, DJ Bravo, RA Jadeja, JA Morkel, R Ashwin, BW Hilfenhaus, SB Jakati, S Badrinath.
Kolkata: G Gambhir, MS Bisla, JH Kallis, LR Shukla, Shakib Al Hasan, YK Pathan, DB Das, R Bhatia, Iqbal Abdulla, SP Narine, B Lee.
While Chennai are the defending champions, having won the tournament in the previous two editions, Kolkata make their maiden appearance in the summit clash of IPL. This is Chennai's fourth time in the final of the 5-year-old tournament
Kolkata, however, have had a better league performance this year, battling Delhi Daredevils for the top-spot and managing to topple Virender Sehwag's side to ensure a berth in the final. MS Dhoni's side however come to the final with a resounding win in a crucial eliminator clash against Delhi in which the team managed to hoist a massive and magnificent 86 runs.
In terms of head-to-head between the two teams, both Kolkata as well as Chennai have drawn blood against each other. While Gambhir's men powered to a 5-wicket win at Chepauk, the men in yellow came back to seal a thriller at Eden Gardens. Chennai won by the same margin off the last ball of the match. (Click here for the full preview)
Pitch: The track Chepauk has a a tinge of green which appeard to be slightly more than what was seen in the previous clashes here