The organisers and sponsors of the 2014 Champions League 2014 have probably got the final that they really wanted, even if they would not publicly admit it.
On Saturday, the Chennai Super Kings will meet the Kolkata Knight Riders at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bangalore for the trophy.
Chennai will be bidding for a second CLT20 title, having beaten the Warriors from South Africa in the 2010 final at the New Wanderers Stadium, Johannesburg. For Kolkata, this will be their first appearance in the final of the tournament, having failed to progress beyond the group stages on the two previous occasions that they have qualified for the CLT20.
The Knight Riders took their winning streak to a staggering 14 matches, equalling the second highest in T20 history, when they defeated the Hobart Hurricanes from Australia in the first of Wednesday’s semi-finals.
Without their captain Tim Paine, who was forced to withdraw with a stomach bug, the Hurricanes were faced by Kolkata adopting the astonishing tactic of delivering 16 overs of spin. Even so, Kolkata, held a stranglehold over their opponents, that held them to just 140, and even that sub-par that total was only thanks in the main to a late late flourish by Shoaib Malik.
The down side, was that Kolkata’s leading bowler, the mystery spinner Sunil Narine, has again been reported for a suspect action, as he was in the previous match, and although he can still play in the final, under the tournaments rules and regulations, he would be unable to bowl.
Chennai’s performance in disposing of the Kings XI Punjab in the other semi-final, may make them the slight favourites going into Saturday’s final.
They became the first team to dismiss Punjab for less than 100. A Kings XI side that on paper looks like the most destructive batting line up in T20 cricket, was under the cosh almost from the first ball. Chennai dismissed four batsmen for ducks, while only five batsmen managed double-figures.