CLT20, 2nd semi-final: CSK vs KXIP - As it happened...

It will be a clash of the titans as MS Dhoni-led Chennai Super Kings take on George Bailey-led Kings XI Punjab in the first semi-final of the Champions League Twenty20.

CLT20, 2nd semi-final: CSK vs KXIP - As it happened...

LIVE SCORE | FULL CLT20 COVERAGE

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Kings XI Punjab Innings

Over 18.2 || Score 117

With the wicket of Anureet Singh, CSK crush KXIP by 65 runs to book a berth in the final of sixth edition of CLT20. Now they will play against KKR in the summit clash. While chasing the total of 182 runs, KXIP never looked in control of the match and lost wickets at regular intervals and made the match a lop-sided affair.       

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Over 15 || Score 91/9

Offie Raina picked up two wickets in his second over to reduce KXIP Punjab to 90 for nine. And with that it's quite safe to say that KXIP's CLT20 journey of the sixth edition has come to an end, as now only a divine intervention can help them to win this match. 

P Awana c du Plessis b Raina 0 (2b)

AR Patel b Raina 31 (18b 4x4 1x6)

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Over 13 || Score 74/7

Jadeja and Raina bowled the 12th and 13th over respectively. And KXIP managed to collect 13 runs from them. But its still a Herculean task for Punjab as they need 109 more runs off 42 balls and they just have three wickets at their disposal.

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Over 11 || Score 61/7

Miller Out! Arm ball by the offie, Ashwin. Miller went for a cut but it didn't turn and hit the stumps. Is it all over for KXIP? Karanveer Singh has come to the middle to join Patel after the fall of seventh wicket of KXIP. 

DA Miller b Ashwin 22 (14b)

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Over 10 || Score 57/6

Major blow for KKR. Sunil Narine's action has been reported once again by the on-field umpires in today's match, it means he can't bowl in the summit clash of CLT20. Meanwhile, in the last two overs KXIP collected 20 runs with the help of two boundaries and a six. And with that the Punjab franchise crossed the fifty-run mark as well. 

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Over 8 || Score 35/6

Spin from both the ends as MSD handed over the ball to Pawan Negi. And a soft dismissal off his first ball. Skipper Bailey Out!  Short ball, Bailey tried to cut it hard but played it straight to the hands of McCullum, who was at short covers. After the gap of one ball Negi picked his second wicket. New man Parera went for a slog sweep but couldn't manage to clear the ball over deep-midwicket as Bravo took a simple catch. KXIP are certainly at the back-foot and CSK are right at the top of the game.  

NLTC Perera c Bravo b Negi 0 (2b)

GJ Bailey c & b Negi 6 (6b)

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Over 7 || Score 34/4

First bowling change as R Ashwin has been introduced into the attack. Off the third ball came a boundary from the blade of Bailey. Nine runs came from the over.

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Over 6 || Score 25/4

Mohit Sharma to bowl the over. Vohra Out! Slower ball has done the trick this time. He miss-timed his shot completely and Faf took a high catch to send the opener back in the hut. Skipper George Bailey and David Miller are now the two batsmen in the middle for KXIP after losing few a couple of wickets in quick succession.   

M Vohra c du Plessis b Sharma 16 (17b)

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Over 5 || Score 24/3

Nehra to bowl his third over in a row. And he strikes for CSK. Off the second ball, Saha tried a big shot towards on-side but missed the line completely and the ball crashed into his stumps. Dangerous Galenn Maxwell is the new man in. Big blow for KXIP, Maxi Out! A poor ball pitched on the leg stump, Maxwell tried to play it towards fine leg but got a thin edge of his glove and Dhoni took a catch behind the wickets.    

GJ Maxwell c Dhoni b Nehra 0 (4b)

WP Saha b Nehra 6 (7b)

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Over 4 || Score 23/1

Mohit to bowl his second over. First ball, Vohra made some room for himself and hit the bowler over the gully region for a boundary. What an exciting cricketer he is. But Mohit Sharma is mixing up his deliveries well and is asking difficult question from the batsmen. KXIP batsmen are looking under a bit of pressure.  

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Over 3 || Score 14/1

Nehra to continue.Vohra played a cracking shot towards wide third man to collect his first boundary off the second ball. But Vohra is living dangerously at the moment in the middle. Seven runs came from the over.  

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Over 2 || Score 7/1

Mohit Sharma is set to bowl the second over. Seamer is trying bouncers on Viru. Sehwag Out! Viru blasted the third ball towards point region but McCullum took a blinder to send back the batsman. Wriddhiman Saha is the new man in. And he collected his first boundary of the last ball. Five runs came from the over.    

V Sehwag c McCullum b Sharma 0 (5b)  

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Over 1 || Score 2/0

Ashish Nehra to bowl the first over. Virender Sehwag and Manan Vohra are in the middle to open KXIP innings. Risky first run came from a leg buy. The left-arm Delhi seamer is right on the money from the first ball. Off the fifth ball Vohra placed the ball towards on-side to open his account with a single. Tight over first up as two runs came from it.    

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Chennai Super Kings Innings

Over 20 || Score 182/7

Anureet Singh set to bowl the last over of the innings. Two runs came from the first two balls. Then off the next Jadeja smashed him for a flat six over mid-wicket. Next was a wide. Off the fourth came another boundary from the blade of Jadeja. In the last two balls came two singles. Riding on the swashbuckling knock of 67 by Bravo and cameo of Jadeja in the end, CSK managed to put up a challenging total of 182 runs in front of KXIP.   

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Over 19 || Score 167/7

Akshar Patel to bowl the penultimate over of the innings. Bravo Out! Finally, trying to hit the bowler out of the park, Bravo couldn't connect the ball well and gave a simple catch to Maxwell at long-off. But off the fifth ball, Jadeja launched the bowler for a six over deep mid-wicket. Nine runs came from the over. 

DJ Bravo c Maxwell b Patel 67 (39b)

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Over 18 || Score 158/6

Anureet Singh ready with his last over. Off the second ball Bravo launched the bowler for a six, straight over his head. Meanwhile CSK crossed the 150-run mark. 11 runs came from over.

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Over 17 || Score 147/6

Parvinder Awana to bowl the over. Ohh a perfect yorker first up by the seamer to send Negi back in the hut. Dhoni OUT! MSD tried to play the ball towards on side but couldn't manage to keep it down and gave a simple catch to Karanveer. Dhoni out for a golden duck. And with that Awana completed his Hat-trick, as he picked Raina's wicket of the last ball of his previous over. Ravinder Jadeja is the new man in. Off the last ball Jadeja smashed the bowler over point fielder to get a boundary. Six runs came from the over.   

MS Dhoni c Karanveer Singh b Awana 0 (1b)0x4 0x6) SR: 0.00

P Negi b Awana 8 (5b)

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Over 16 || Score 141/4

Anureet Singh is back into attack. Bravo collected two consecutive balls and with that completed his fifty in style. KXIP are paying heavy price for dropping Bravo early on in his innings. Another good over for CSK as they collected 12 runs from it.   

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Over 15 || Score 129/4

Perera to bowl his last over. Bravo took the bowler by surprise, as he smashed him for two boundaries and six, which sailed over cover fence. 17 runs came from the over. Bravo is looking dangerous at the moment as he is dealing in boundaries and sixes.   

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Over 14 || Score 112/4

Akshar Patel set to bowl his third over. Boundary off the first ball as Faf hit the short ball towards cow corner for a boundary. Faf clean bowled by the spinner. Gambler MSD surprisingly send Pawan Negi to join Bravo in the middle. And the southpaw launched the bowler for a six by slogging him over mid-wicket. 12 runs came from the over.  

F du Plessis b Patel 46 (33b)

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Over 13 || Score 100/3

Karanveer Singh to bowl the over. Bravo and Faf completed fifty-run partnership for the fourth wicket in the over. Bravo charged the spinner for a six over cow corner off the last ball. And with that massive hit CSK touchedd the mark of the hundred runs. 13 came from the over.  

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Over 12 || Score 87/3

Perera is back into the attack. But the seamer proved expensive in his third over, as he conceded three boundaries. First came from the bat of Faf. And the next two were hit by Bravo. But interestingly all the boundaries came behind the wicket. The Sri Lankan leaked 14 runs.    

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Over 11 || Score 73/3

Bravo Dropped! Maxwell dropped a simple catch of Bravo at deep long off, when the West Indian tried to clear the fence off Karanveer Singh's second ball of the over. Will this dropped catch cost them KXIP dearly? Time will tell. Eight runs came from the over. 

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Over 10 || Score 65/3

Faf is playing smart cricket in the middle. He is not missing any chance to pick a boundary. But CSK want these two players -- Bravo and Faf -- to be there at least for the next four to five overs. 10 runs came in the last two overs. KXIP have performed well so far in the first ten overs of the match.    

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Over 8 || Score 55/3

Spinners from both end as Bailey handed over the ball to Akshar Patel. The left-arm spinner bowled a tight over as he conceded mere six run from his opening over. Meanwhile, CSK crossed the fifty-run mark.  

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Over 7 || Score 49/3

Karanveer Singh has been introduced into the attack to bowl the seventh over. Dwayne Bravo is the man who replaced Raina in the middle. Eight runs came from the over as Faf collected his first boundary off the fifth ball.  

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Over 6 || Score 41/3

Awana to continue. Off the third ball, Faf launched the seamer for a six over long on. A clean hit by the South African. Then he collected two runs off the next. Big blow for CSK, Suresh Raina Out! Off the last ball, Raina tried to pull Awana's slightly short ball over short mid-wicket fielder but couldn't quite manage to execute his plan and eventually gave a simple catch to the fielder.    

SK Raina c Bailey b Awana 6 (5b)

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Over 5 || Score 32/2

McCullum OUT! OHH with in first five overs, both the CSK openers are back in the hut. After losing Smith in the last over, McCullum tried to pull Perera for a six over mid-wicket but found a fielder at deep, who took a simple catch in the end. Faf du Plessis has joined Raina in the middle. Three runs came from the over.

BB McCullum c Awana b Perera 6 (8b)

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Over 4 || Score 29/1

Smith Out! What a beauty! Awana provided his team the first breakthrough, as a length ball by the medium pacer beat his defence and crashed into the stumps. Suresh Raina is the new man in after the fall of CSK's first wicket. Raina played a back-foot punch towards cover region to collect his first boundary.  

DR Smith b Awana 14 (14b)

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Over 3 || Score 21/0

Thisara Perera has been introduced into the attack in the third over. Off the third ball, Smith smashed him for a boundary towards short midwicket to collect his second boundary. Seven runs came from the over.   

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Over 2 || Score 14/0

Parvinder Awana is sharing the new ball with Anureet. After bowling excellent four balls, off the last two he gave six runs. Still both the batsmen are still struggling to connect the ball well.  

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Over 1 || Score 6/0

Dangerous opening pair of Dwayne Smith and Brendon McCullum are in the middle to open the innings of CSK, whereas, Anureet Singh has the new ball in hand. Good first over by the bowler as he conceded mere six runs from it. First boundary of the match came off the last ball from the bat of Smith.

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Toss: George Bailey have won the toss and will bowl first. 

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New Delhi: It will be a clash of the titans as MS Dhoni-led Chennai Super Kings take on George Bailey-led Kings XI Punjab in the first semi-final of the Champions League Twenty20.

Despite being a formidable side in IPL over the years, of late, Chennai Super Kings have failed to deliver the kind of magic they are known for. They are up against a team, which has an edge over the Yellow Brigade on the basis of the last few matches played between the two teams.

The major challenge ahead of CSK would be to contain Glenn Maxwell. The Australian all-rounder made life miserable for their bowlers, as a result of some breathtaking knocks in the seventh edition of the tournament.

While CSK have gained some momentum since the comeback of Dwayne Bravo, who missed the majority of IPL 2014 due to injury, they would want their openers – Brendon McCullum and Dwayne Smith to stitch a solid opening stand, something which they did on a regular basis in IPL earlier this year. In the bowling department, CSK would bank upon the spin due of Jadeja and Ashwin to make the best use of the pitch and restrict Punjab to a low total.

Punjab on the other hand are getting better and better with every match. Despite Maxwell's failure in the tournament, each and every batsman has made a significant contribution with the bat. While Virender Sehwag and Manan Vohra have looked comfortable at the top of the order, Wriddhiman Saha and the skipper himself have slammed crucial knocks. David Miller continues to be the backbone of their batting line-up and team management would want the South African to continue his good run.

In the bowling department, the young pair of Akshar Patel and Karanveer Singh have been outstanding this season. Bailey now shows a lot of confidence in Patel, who has proved time and again, that he has nerves of steel, having delivered match-winning performances both with the bat and the ball under precarious circumstances. The pace attack could be a matter of concern for Bailey, as Parwinder Awana has looked out of form while Anureet Singh has done well in the death overs.

Not to forget, a big knock is due from Maxwell's willow and we all know his love for the CSK bowling attack. If he gets going, Punjab probably wouldn't need to bother about anything else!

Key stat: KXIP have defeated CSK in all three matches they have played against each other this season.