Right then! After two legs of the competitions and plenty of entertainment, we are set for the final act of the Indian T20 League 2021. Two captains who are known to keep their cool under pressure will lead their teams on the field for the finale on 15th October 2021. Chennai and Kolkata will battle out for 40 overs to lift the dazzling trophy but only one team will get their hands on it. The final will begin at 6 pm Local (2 pm GMT). Make sure you join us for the grand finale of what has been an exciting competition! See you there. Till then, take care and goodbye!
Venkatesh Iyer is the Player of the Match. He says that he is doing what he has been asked to do and is very happy to get this win. Adds that he is just enjoying his time here and he is doing nothing different from Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy and first-class cricket. Tells that he wanted to bat well with Shubhman Gill and credits him by saying that he is an exquisite stroke-maker. Signs off by saying that he is fully focused on the next game now and he is not thinking about the T20 World Cup just yet.
Eoin Morgan is down for a chat. He says they will dissect what happened in the death overs. Adds that the openers gave them a brilliant start and they are over the line and that is what matters. Says that Delhi are a very good side and fought hard. Credits Rahul Tripathi for stepping up to the task and getting them over the line. Informs that it is pleasing to see guys like Iyer, Gill and Tripathi batting the way they have. Says that they always had the belief even when they were struggling back in India. Informs that Iyer was brought in the XI by the coach and is glad that it turned out well. Morgan adds that Chennai are one of the best teams in the league but anything can happen in the final.
Stay tuned for the presentation to hear from the Player of the Match and the winning skipper, Eoin Morgan.
Rahul Tripathi is down for a chat, he says that it feels great to finish the game. Adds that he never thought it would go so deep but he is glad to finish the game. Says that he wanted to face the last two balls to hit a six but he was also open to taking a couple of runs. Further adds that it has been a great journey for them in the UAE leg and the positive approach has helped them a lot.
Rishabh Pant, the skipper of Delhi, says that there are no words to express. Adds that they tried to keep things tight but unfortunately they were not able to get over the line. Credits Kolkata's bowlers by saying that they bowled really well in the middle overs. Tells that they will look to come back strong in the next season. Signs off by saying that they learn from each other, back each other and would be looking to comeback harder in the next season.
Delhi did not have the biggest of totals but a couple of early wickets would have put them in a good position but that did not happen as Kolkata had a great start. The first wicket came in 13th over when Kagiso Rabada sent back Venkatesh Iyer. Avesh Khan and Anrich Nortje took a wicket each after that but even then the game looked like it was over. But things changed in the last 3 overs. Kagiso Rabada bowled a brilliant 18th over when he gave only 1 run and took a big wicket. Then, Anrich Nortje gave only 3 runs in the 19th over and took a wicket. Ravichandran Ashwin bowled the final over. He took 2 wickets and left Kolkata needing 6 runs in the last 2 balls. But it was a heartbreak for Delhi when Rahul Tripathi hit that six. Delhi would be disappointed though. They finished at the top of the table but lost two games in the playoffs under pressure.
It wasn't a big target for Kolkata but the pressure of the moment could have gotten to them but they didn't allow it at the start. The pair of Venkatesh Iyer and Shubman Gil simply deflated the bowling lineup of Delhi. Iyer was the aggressor and made sure that the required rate did not get out of control while Gill made sure that he rotated the strike well. Iyer got to his fifty but fell soon after. But by then, it looked like the game was done and Kolkata looked set to get over the line. But the wicket of Gill when he was on 46 was a big moment. The batters coming in after that struggled to get off the mark on this sluggish surface and they almost threw it away. From 123 for 1 they found themselves at 129 for 5 needing 7 runs in the last over. They even lost two wickets in the last over and things looked bleak for them but Rahul Tripathi sent the fifth ball sailing over the fence to get them over the line.
We have our finalists! Kolkata will take on Chennai and one of these teams will lift the trophy in Dubai! What a turnaround this has been by Kolkata. They were cruising at one stage, then they collapsed towards the death overs and looked out of it but they have managed to get over the line. This game had us on the edge of our seats in the last few overs. Delhi gave it their all in the last few overs and would have felt that they would win it but Kolkata got over the line. Phew, what a game that was!
19.5 overs (6 Runs) SIX! BANG! Rahul Tripathi HAS DONE IT FOR KOLKATA! He has taken his side into the final! This is a half-tracker, outside off. Rahul Tripathi stays low and powers it over long off for a biggie to seal the match! Kolkata win the match by 3 wickets!
Lockie Ferguson walks out to bat.
19.4 overs (0 Run) OUT! TAKEN! A golden duck for Sunil Narine and the Kolkata camp will be very, very nervous! Tossed up, on off. He comes down the track and hits it high in the air. The ball goes to long off and Axar Patel takes it. Wow, how did we get there? This is simply unbelievable. Ravichandran Ashwin is on a hat-trick now.
Sunil Narine is the new man in.
19.3 overs (0 Run) OUT! LBW! DEAR, OH DEAR! What have Kolkata done here? They had the game in their bag but have managed to get Delhi back in the game! It is Delhi's game to lose now! Flatter ball, on middle. Shakib Al Hasan shuffles across to paddle but gets hit on the pads. There is an appeal for LBW and the finger goes up! 6 needed from 3 now.
19.2 overs (0 Run) DOT BALL! 6 from 4 now! Darted on the pads. Shakib Al Hasan backs away looking to sweep but gets hit on the pads.
19.1 overs (1 Run) Just a single! Shorter ball, outside off. Rahul Tripathi hits it to long on for one. 6 from 5 now.
Shakib Al Hasan walks out to bat. Also, Ravichandran Ashwin comes back to bowl the last over.
18.6 overs (0 Run) OUT! BOWLED! DELHI ARE NOT OUT YET! How many twists are there in this game? Length ball, outside off. Morgan looks to heave it across the line but gets the inside edge. The ball crashes back on the stumps and Morgan goes back for a duck! 7 needed in the last over!
18.5 overs (0 Run) DOT BALL AGAIN! This is gold dust being provided by Anrich Nortje! Full ball, wide outside off. Morgan goes for it but misses. There is an appeal for caught behind as there is a sound while the ball crosses the bat. But the umpire is unmoved.
18.4 overs (0 Run) ANOTHER DOT! On a length, outside off. Morgan comes down the track but hits it straight towards short cover. 7 from 8 now.
18.3 overs (1 Run) Just a single now. Short of a length, outside off. Rahul Tripathi hits it to long on for one.
18.2 overs (0 Run) DOT BALL! Full ball, on leg. Rahul Tripathi goes for the slog but gets hit on the pads. The ball goes to point and Tripathi looks to sneak a single but is sent back.
18.1 overs (2 Runs) Misfield! Length ball, on off. Rahul Tripathi punches it to covers. But a midfield by Shreyas Iyer allows the ball through and they get a couple. 8 from 11 now.
Eoin Morgan walks out to bat. Anrich Nortje will bowl this over. 10 needed from 2 overs.
17.6 overs (0 Run) OUT! BOWLED! Well, well! Is there another twist in this game? Good-length ball, outside off. Dinesh Karthik looks to heave it away but it goes off the thick inside edge and the ball crashes onto his stumps. What an over from Kagiso Rabada! Just 1 run and a wicket off this over!
17.5 overs (1 Run) Short and wide. Rahul Tripathi cuts it to deep point for a single.
17.4 overs (0 Run) Make it four in a row! Good-length ball, around off. Rahul Tripathi skips down and punches hard but finds the cover fielder.
17.3 overs (0 Run) Three dots in a row! Another slower ball, outside off, staying a bit low. Rahul Tripathi looks to cut but he fails to get any bat on it.
17.2 overs (0 Run) Another dot ball! Slower ball, shorter in length, outside off. Rahul Tripathi looks to play it across the line but he misses.
17.1 overs (0 Run) Good-length ball, on middle. Rahul Tripathi blocks it out.
16.6 overs (0 Run) Slower ball, shorter in length, outside off. Dinesh Karthik hangs back to cut but he misses. 11 runs needed from 18 balls now!
16.5 overs (0 Run) Full ball, on middle and leg. Dinesh Karthik drives it to mid on.
Dinesh Karthik walks out to bat.
16.4 overs (0 Run) OUT! CAUGHT BEHIND! Shubman Gill departs now and Avesh Khan gets his man! A full ball, outside off. Gill reaches out and looks to drive but he only manages a thick outside edge. Rishabh Pant, behind the sticks, moves to his right and takes a good catch.
16.3 overs (1 Run) Short of a length, outside off. Rahul Tripathi shimmies down and works it to wide of mid off for a run.
16.2 overs (1 Run) Good-length ball, on middle. Gill skips down and heaves it to deep mid-wicket for a single.
16.1 overs (0 Run) Back of a length, outside off. Shubman Gill looks to cut but he misses.
Strategic Time-Out! So, here is the situation. Barring a horrible collapse from here, Morgan will stand with Dhoni for the coin toss in Dubai on 15th October. Kolkata are well and truly on top and only the finish strokes are left to be applied. Rahul Tripathi walks out to bat.
15.6 overs (0 Run) OUT! TAKEN! Nitish Rana holes out and Kolkata lose their second wicket! Nortje bangs it into the deck, around middle. Rana looks to pull but the ball hurries onto him and it goes off the splice of the bat towards Shimron Hetmyer at deep square leg who gulps it down. Too little, too late for Delhi but they will take this! 13 runs needed from 24 balls.
15.5 overs (1 Run) Length ball, around middle and leg. Gill works it down the ground for one.
15.4 overs (6 Runs) SIX! WOW! This is a serious shot from Gill! Back of a length, around off. Gill stands tall and flat-bats it over long on for a maximum!
15.3 overs (1 Run) A full toss, on the pads. Rana drills it to long on for a run.
15.2 overs (1 Run) Good-length ball, on middle. Shubman Gill works it to long on for a single.
15.1 overs (1 Run) Back of a length, outside off. Nitish Rana cuts it to point and takes a quick run. Steven Smith has a shy at the bowler's end but he misses. Had that been a direct hit, Rana was a goner!
Match Reports
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