CLT20 Highlights: Chennai Super Kings Crush Kings XI Punjab, Will Play Kolkata in Final
Chennai Super Kings put up an all-round show to crush Kings XI Punjab by 65 runs. After scoring 182/7 with the bat, CSK's bowlers shot Punjab out for 117. Catch all the highlights of the match here:
While Dwayne Bravo top-scored with 67, the bowlers played their part too, with Nehra, Mohit, Negi and Raina picking two wickets apiece against a strong KXIP batting line-up. Follow all highlights here: (SCORECARD)
23:02 IST: That's the end of that. Chennai have won by 65 runs and they will meet Kolkata Knight Riders in the final of the CLT20 on Saturday.
22:51 IST: Raina picks up two wickets in the 15th over as KXIP collapse to 91/9 against Chennai Super Kings.
22:35 IST: WICKET! David Miller departs for 22 as R Ashwin strikes and Punjab are 61/7 in 10.2 overs in pursuit of 183 vs CSK.
22:26 IST: Akshar Patel and David Miller are in the middle together but the challenge is far too demanding. It will need a miracle for KXIP to pull this one off.
22:23 IST: WICKET! Bailey falls for six as Negi gets a wicket off his first ball in the match before removing Perera for a duck as KXIP skip to a precarious 34/6, chasing 183 vs Chennai.
22:15 IST: WICKET! Mohit Sharma gets his second wicket as Manan Vohra perishes, playing a poor shot to fall for 16. KXIP 24/4 and they are in complete tatters against the Super Kings.
22:08 IST: WICKET! Maxwell falls for a duck and KXIP are in serious trouble here. Chennai are well and truly on top.
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22:06 IST: WICKET! Saha misses and Nehra hits; the Punjab 'keeper-batsman fall for six and KXIP are tottering at 24/2 in the fifth over, chasing 183 to win.
22:04 IST: Kings XI Punjab are 23/1 off 4 overs and they are not going anywhere with their chase yet; they need some big overs up front or it could be too much of an ask even for the power-hitters down the order.
22:01 IST: Manan Vohra has played some key knocks for the Kings XI in the past and tonight again he's looking good. They need almost 10 an over from hereon and the start he provides will be crucial.
21:55 IST: FOUR! Delightful shot from Manan Vohra as Ashish Nehra gives him some width; poor bowling from the experienced seamer.
21:54 IST: Wriddhiman Saha is off the mark with a FOUR! and Punjab are 7/1 off 2 overs.
21:50 IST: WICKET! Superb catch by Brendon McCullum as Mohit Sharma snares Sehwag for a duck. What a turnaround between the two semifinals. KXIP 3/1 off 1.4 overs.
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21:48 IST: This has been a watchful start by Kings XI Punjab. The last time they played against Chennai Super Kings, Sehwag had hammered a hundred in the IPL 7 semi-final.
21:31 IST: Chennai Super Kings have piled up a commanding 182/7 off their 20 overs thanks to 67 by Bravo and 46 by Faf du Plessis and a brilliant cameo by Jadeja, who finished with an unbeaten 27.
21:27 IST: Ravindra Jadeja is playing another cameo for the Super Kings at the end of the innings; they are looking at a good total here on a slowish pitch. Score: 167/7 with three balls left.
21:22 IST: WICKET! Bravo tried to clobber Patel out of the park but holds out to Bravo in the middle. He goes for 67.
21:12 IST: WICKET! Awana gets a hat-trick as MS Dhoni departs for a first ball duck; the leading edge goes to mid-wicket and the balance is in favour of Kings XI Punjab again. CSK 141/6 in the 17th over. Awana had removed Raina off the last ball of his previous spell.
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21:10 IST: WICKET! Awana gets his third as he removed Negi for eight. The left-handed batsman was sent up the order to do some damage but he could not do any. MS Dhoni walks in.
21:06 IST: Dwayne Bravo packs a punch alright; he has raced away to his fifty off a mere 29 balls as Chennai continue to march towards a big score.
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21:03 IST: Chennai Super Kings are not done yet; they have in the middle Dwayne Bravo who hammered Perera for four and six as Chennai raced to 129/4 off 15 overs.
20:55 IST: WICKET! Akshar Patel has removed Faf du Plessis for 46 and that's a major breakthrough for Punjab at this stage of the match. Chennai are 106/4 in the 14th over as Negi walks in to join Bravo.
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20:52 IST: The stand between Bravo and du Plessis is now worth over 50 as Chennai Super Kings reach 100/3 off 13 overs. This is great recovery after losing three top batsmen.
20:49 IST: Expensive over from Perera as 14 come off it. Chennai Super Kings are 87/3 after 12 overs with du Plessis and Bravo looking dangerous.
20:46 IST: Faf du Plessis has tried several scoops tonight and FOUR! Finally one pays off and CSK are 78/3 off 11.2 overs. He is going to be the biggest threat for KXIP now that Raina is gone.
20:43 IST: DROPPED! Glenn Maxwell lets go of an easy chance as Bravo gets a life; the pressure of a semi-final or a reflection of his poor form with the bat?
20:41 IST: Two incredible power-hitters in the middle for Chennai now, Faf du Plessis and Dwayne Bravo have plenty of overs to bat and these two can be extremely destructive. Halfway through the innings, the Super Kings are 65/3.
20:30 IST: WICKET! Sharp catch by George Bailey. Raina tried to pull Awana and he was caught by the Punjab skipper who had placed himself at short midwicket. CSK 41/3 after 6 overs.
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20:26 IST: SIX! du Plessis comes back into the team, walks in with CSK in trouble and hammers a superb SIX, the 200th of this edition of the CLT20. What a player!
20:21 IST: WICKET! More trouble for the Super Kings here as McCullum departs for six. Perera gets the wicket and Awana takes an easy catch in the deep. CSK 29/2 in the fifth over after being asked to bat.
20:18 IST: FOUR! Suresh Raina walks into the middle and straightaway shows why he is such a great T20 batsman. That was nicely timed on a slow surface, with the ball not coming on to the bat.
20:16 IST: WICKET! Awana strikes and what a wicket that is; the dangerous Dwayne Smith is gone for 14 and Chennai Super Kings are 23/1 in 3.2 overs vs Punjab.
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20:14 IST: Chennai Super Kings are 21/0 after three overs; this is what Smith and McCullum do well; start off watchfully and then unleash their array of shots.
20:10 IST: Different bowlers for all three overs now; Anureet, Awana and now Perera. Bailey likes to mix things up and this is a good example.
20:09 IST: Almost a good first over from Parvinder Awana; he started off well but looked a little loose towards the end; eight runs off it and CSK are 14/0 after 2.
20:05 IST: This pitch is on the slower side and both sides are studded with stroke-makers. The batsmen will have to be patient on this surface and show some restraint to their natural hitting abilities. Can Brendon McCullum and Smith lead the way for the Super Kings?
20:03 IST: Six runs from the first over from Anureet Singh as Dwayne Smith slams the last ball to the fence. CSK 6/0.
19:55 IST: This is a wonderful opportunity for Kings XI Punjab to try and set up a revenge clash against the Knight Riders, who are already in the final. Chennai Super Kings' batting looked a bit dodgy in the last game and Punjab would want to exploit that in the semi-final tonight.
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19:35 IST: Kings XI Punjab have won the toss and George Bailey says he will bowl vs Chennai Super Kings in the second semi-final. Big change for CSK - du Plessis back in for Hastings. KXIP unchanged.
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The second semifinal of the 2014 Champions League Twenty20 competition will be an all-IPL affair, with Group A's second-placed team Chennai Super Kings taking on Group B toppers Kings XI Punjab. (Read full preview)
It was no surprise that Punjab easily booked their place in the semifinal for the first time in 2014 given they have some amazing players in their squad. George Bailey and his team could not win the IPL-7 trophy despite being the best team in the group stages and they would be keen to win the CLT20 silverware this year.
Apart from the second match vs Barbados Tridents, Punjab have not really been pushed so far in this year's tournament. On the other hand, Chennai lost to Kolkata in the opening match of the tournament before beating Dolphins and Perth Scorchers on either side of a rain-affected match vs Lahore Lions that had to be abandoned.
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Chennai sealed their spot in the semifinals only after Perth beat Lahore Lions in the last Group A match but the MS Dhoni-led side is not short of experience when it comes to playing in big matches. Chennai have finished in the top four of the IPL in each of the seven editions and they have been in the semis of the CLT20 twice, in 2010 and 2013.
Both teams have a whole host of match-winners among their ranks. Suresh Raina and MS Dhoni, both of whom are now stalwarts of T20 cricket are the key players in the Chennai side. Punjab have an equally strong side, however, with the likes of Virender Sehwag, Glenn Maxwell and David Miller bolstering their exciting and powerful batting line-up.