File Photo of MS Dhoni and Virat Kohli
Just like everything else in the year 2021, IPL's season was also unconventional as it was hosted in two parts and in two different countries-India and UAE. MS Dhoni-led Chennai Super Kings won their fourth title defeating Kolkata Knight Riders in the final.
The season started in April 2021 and ended in October 2021. The 14th edition of the IPL gave cricket fans many memorable moments. New stars were born and few veterans decided to turn back time. As the year 2021 is ending, Indiatvnews.com handpick such 10 unforgettable moments from the IPL 2021, do take a look.
Top 10 moments in IPL 2021
1. Virat Kohli becomes the first batsman to complete 6000 IPL runs
Virat Kohli playing a shot against Rajasthan Royals in IPL 2021. 
Former Royal Challengers Bangalore captain Virat Kohli gave fans a lot of moments to cherish in the 14th season. Kohli became the first batsman ever to score 6000 IPL runs. Next on the list is Shikhar Dhawan, who is over 500 runs behind him. Kohli also became the first skipper in the league to score fifty 50+ scores. But, the biggest moment involving Kohli was when he announced that he will not be leading RCB after this season.
2. KS Bharat's last-ball six
KS Bharat celebrating after hitting a last ball six to win the game for RCB.
It is a dream of every batsman to hit a last-ball six and help his side win the match. MS Dhoni has turned this into a habit but it is still a very tough task to accomplish. RCB's KS Bharat achieved this feat in the last league stage match of the season where he hit Avesh Khan for a six on the last ball to help his side win the game.
3. Kieron Pollard's blistering knock against Chennai Super Kings
File photo of Kieron Pollard
It was not the ideal season for MI vice-captain Kieron Pollard as he did not live up to the expectation. But, the Caribbean big hitter was at top of his game when he score 34-ball 87 against arch-rivals Chennai Super Kings. The right-hand batter played the knock while chasing a 200 plus target which makes it even better.
4. Kartik Tyagi's Last Over against Punjab
File photo of Kartik Tyagi
No bowler will ever want to ball the last over when there are just four runs to defend. But Rajasthan Royals' Kartik Tyagi had a different plan for Punjab Kings when he gave just two runs in the last over to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat. Kartik bowled a series of yorkers outside off and sent two PBKS batsmen back in the pavilion.
5. Ravi Bishnoi's superb catch
Ravi Bishnoi taking a super catch in IPL 2021
Punjab Kings' Ravi Bishnoi took a jaw-dropping catch in the deep that has left the cricketing world terming it ‘as catch of the IPL 2021’ with former England batsman Kevin Pietersen hailing it as ‘catch of every IPL tournament’. Bishnoi pulled off a blinder against Kolkata Knight Riders when the bowler ran from the deep mid-wicket to take a full diving catch of Sunil Narine at the Narendra Modi Stadium.
6. Harshal Patel's hat-trick
Harshal Patel celebrating his hat-trick with his teammates
If you have to pick one player who turned the tables upsidedown for RCB in IPL 2021 then it would be Harshal Patel. Patel returned with a four-wicket haul, conceding just 17 runs from his 3.1 over spell against Rohit Sharma & Co. The purple cap winner was on song throughout the season.
7. Harpreet Brar remove RCB's top 3
Harpreet Brar celebrating the wicket of RCB captain Virat Kohli
Harpreet Brar played his first match in IPL 2021 for Punjab Kings and he had a game to remember as he dismissed Royal Challengers Bangalore's big three - captain Virat Kohli, Glenn Maxwell and AB de Villiers - to effectively nip in the bud RCB's chances of chasing down Punjab's 179 in Ahmedabad. These were also Brar's first three IPL wickets.
8. Finisher MS Dhoni returns
MS Dhoni hitting six against Delhi Capitals in qualifier one.
Mahendra Singh Dhoni finished it off in style for the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) as he remained unbeaten on 18 off just six deliveries to steer the side to a record ninth IPL final. CSK captain adopted an aggressive approach from the very start, slamming Avesh Khan for a six over deep midwicket on his second delivery before returning to strike on the second ball of the final over. With 13 needed in five balls, MS Dhoni struck Tom Curran for two successive fours, forcing the Englishman to change his line. This resulted in the English bowler wandering off his length as he bowled a wide.
9. KKR's remarkable comeback in IPL 2021 phase 2
File photo of Venkatesh Iyer
Ahead of the resumption of the 2021 Indian Premier League (IPL 2021) in the United Arab Emirates, the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) were in disarray. With only two wins in seven matches, the KKR were reeling at seventh position in the table. Mumbai Indians, the side fourth in the table then, had eight points in seven matches. With a poor Net Run Rate (NRR) of -0.494, the Knight Riders were closer to the bottom of the table than the top-4.
On October 8, however, the KKR secured the fourth and final berth of the playoff stage with Rohit Sharma's MI failing to catch up with Eoin Morgan's side due to an inferior NRR. In their remaining seven games of the season, the Knight Riders scored 10 points for an incredible turnaround. The side which had been struggling with inconsistent performances ever since its last IPL triumph in 2014 will now take on MS Dhoni's Chennai Super Kings in a bid to match their title count.
10. CSK lift 4th IPL title
Chennai Super Kings celebrating their fourth IPL title
The first team to be out of the playoff race in IPL 2020 was Chennai Super Kings and the first team to qualify for the playoffs in IPL 2021 was Chennai Super Kings. This is the kind of comeback fans expect from CSK. MS Dhoni's side went on to win their fourth IPL title in season 2021.
