Thriller on the cards as KKR take on CSK in CLT20 final (Preview)

It is probably befitting that the two best and most consistent teams, the Kolkata Knight Riders and Chennai Super Kings, will be playing in the final of the Oppo Champions League Twenty20 tournament, here Saturday and for the richest purse in world cricket of $2.5 million.

The Knight Riders, led by Gautam Gambhir and still in quest of their maiden CLT20 crown, are on a roll with 14 straight wins, dating from the 2014 Indian Premier League (IPL) that they won, but Saturday's game against Mahendra Singh Dhoni's Super Kings would be a different ball game altogether.

The two teams met in the opening game of the tournament last month, but in Hyderabad, where the Knight Riders were based. The Kolkata outfit won by three wickets, hunting down a target of 158.

The powerful Super Kings batting line-up was kept on a leash by three spinners, Sunil Narine, Yusuf Pathan and Piyush Chawla, with the trio conceding just 51 runs in the 11 overs they sent down.

This time around, the Knight Riders will be without the West Indian Narine who has been suspended from bowling in the ongoing tournament after being twice reported for suspect action. Indeed, it will test the bowling strength of the team without Narine who has emerged as the spearhead.

The Super Kings, winners in 2010 when the tournament was held in South Africa, have no such worries with their key batsmen in prime form and the bowlers keeping their end up.

This was reflected in their thumping 65-run win over Kings XI Punjab in the semi-finals Thursday in Hyderabad after setting a target of 183.

Likewise, the Knight Riders have often showcased their all-round strength, notably against the Hobart Hurricanes in the semi-final Thursday, winning comfortably by seven wickets.

The team from Kolkata are no less rich in talent, experience and proven ability than the Super Kings. Both teams bat deep and have match winning bowlers, factors that put the finalists on level terms while making any prediction a hazardous exercise.

However, the Knight Riders need to be wary of the law of averages. They are on a hot and unbroken streak of 14 wins, but will be without Narine and on the morrow they will be up against the confident Super Kings who have fared well at the Chinnaswamy Stadium here.

A close match is in the offing and with the pitch receiving plenty of sunshine the past week, tall scores look likely. The Super Kings wear a more settled look and have the pedigree to win the trophy a second time.