Defending or Chasing- What has been the more successful trend in IPL Finals history?

After two months of intense cricketing action amongst the 10 teams, the 16th edition of the Indian Premier League is all set for the final showdown. Quite deservingly, the two most consistent teams have made it to the summit clash, the Gujarat Titans and the Chennai Super Kings.

The Titans, led by Hardik Pandya, will be looking to successfully complete their title defense, while the MS Dhoni-led CSK will want to win the tournament for the 5th time.

Ahead of the final, there is one huge question that people want an answer to. What is the better option in a game as big as today's- defending or chasing? While some believe that a score on the board is always a good thing in big games, others feel that having a target in front is the better option.

Here, we look at the more successful trend in the history of IPL finals:

In the previous 15 IPL Finals, only 6 times has a team won the game while chasing. Runs on the board has turned out to be a good thing as stats show, with teams winning 9 times while defending a score.

Now, let's anayse this trend with the focus being on the two teams which will be playing tonight.

CSK have featured in 9 finals in the past, winning 4 of them. Out of the 4 wins, 3 have come when they were defending a total and one came in a chase.

GT, on the other hand have played one final, winning the game whilst chasing a score set by the Rajasthan Royals. On that occasion, Hardik Pandya lost the toss but admitted that he preferred a run chase in the big finale.

Even in the two playoff games that GT have played this season, Hardik was looking to chase which suggests that he might look to do the same tonight.

Keeping the trend aside, tonight's finale promises to be an engrossing encounter between two similar yet different sides. No matter what happens at the toss, both teams will know that the cricket they play will be the eventual decider.