Chennai Super Kings v Kolkata Knight Riders predictions and cricket betting tips

Best bets, analysis and predictions for Chennai Super Kings v Kolkata Knight Riders in the Indian Premier League final on Friday.

Where to watch

Sky Sports Cricket, 3pm Friday

Best bet

Ruturaj Gaikwad top Chennai Super Kings runscorer
2pts 3-1 Coral, Ladbrokes

Preview

Eoin Morgan is hoping to lift the T20 World Cup in Dubai on November 14 but the England captain's immediate focus is on Friday's Indian Premier League final at the same venue.

Morgan's Kolkata Knight Riders have enjoyed an excellent run of form since the tournament resumed in the UAE, winning their final two league games before beating Bangalore and Delhi in tense low-scoring playoff matches.

They threatened to deliver one of the greatest batting collapses in cricket history against the Capitals on Wednesday when they lost six wickets for seven runs in 3.5 overs before a Rahul Tripathi six off the penultimate ball dragged them into the final.

Opponents Chennai Super Kings have had their feet up since a four-wicket win over Delhi on Sunday, when veteran skipper MS Dhoni cracked 18 not out off six balls to get them out of trouble, but bookmakers are unable to pick a favourite between them and the battle-hardened Knight Riders.

Chennai's openers Ruturaj Gaikwad and Faf du Plessis have played the biggest roles in their success and both are in the top four tournament runscorers this season.

They may well finish the campaign on a high given that Kolkata's bowlers struggled to take early wickets in both playoff games. They dismissed one Delhi batsman in the first 11 overs on Wednesday and Bangalore's openers put on 49 for the first wicket on Monday.

Gaikwad played an extraordinary innings against Mumbai Indians in Chennai's first match in Dubai, scoring 88 not out to conjure up a win when the rest of the Super Kings' top six managed seven runs between them.

His next four scores were 38, 40, 45 and 101 not out. After a couple of early dismissals, he top-scored with 70 in the playoff win over Delhi and odds of 3-1 about him ending a phenomenal season on a high are too big to ignore.

Paths to the final

Chennai Super Kings
Second in league (P14 W9 L5)
Beat Delhi by four wickets in Qualifier 1

Kolkata Knight Riders
Fourth in league (P14 W7 L7)
Beat Bangalore by four wickets in Eliminator
Beat Delhi by three wickets in Qualifier 2

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