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CLT20 2014 Semi-Final: Kings XI Punjab vs Chennai Super Kings Preview

Written by Rick John Henry for @HollywoodbetsFollow them both on Twitter and Facebook now!


Kings XI Punjab vs Chennai Super Kings | Thursday 02 October | Hyderabad | 16:30

A clash of IPL giants awaits Champions League T20 fans on Thursday afternoon, three Indian sides among the semi-finalists ensuring at least one home side will make the final. Due to a fantastic overhaul during this year’s IPL window, the Kings XI Punjab are now one of the leading sides in India and remain unbeaten in the tournament. They were also the most devastating during the IPL, and with Kolkata on the longest T20 undefeated streak for any Indian side, the Chennai Super Kings must now be considered third-best in the country. However, if there is a team that knows how to win titles and knockout fixtures, Chennai is the first to come to mind.

To Win
Kings XI Punjab 11/10
Tie 35/1
Chennai Super Kings 7/10

Kings XI Punjab
The Kings XI have been in rampant form throughout 2014 and having disposed of everyone in their group, face their biggest test of the tournament. In this year’s IPL, they chased Chennai’s score of 205 in Abu Dhabi in 18.5 overs, before racking up a monstrous 231 in the return match in Cuttack. In Qualifier 2, the two sides met once again. In something of a repeat, the Kings XI flayed Chennai to all ends of the ground to amount 226 from their twenty overs, managing to defend it and book a place in the final, only to lose out to Kolkata. Indeed, they have picked up where they left off in the Champions League T20, their lowest total being 146 from 17.4 overs before scoring 139/3 off 18.1 overs against the Cobras on a sticky, sluggish wicket. They walloped the Northern Districts Knights by 120 runs, the biggest win in six seasons of Champions League T20 cricket.

They have a settled and destructive batting order that will strike fear into the hearts of any bowling unit. Their 215 scored against the Northern Knights came without significant contributions from either Glenn Maxwell, Thisara Perera or George Bailey. With Australia playing Pakistan over the same weekend, Glenn Maxwell will stay on with the team should they make the final while Bailey has not been named in his nation’s squad. Therefore, it will a full strength Kings XI on Thursday. Openers Virender Sehwag and Manan Vohra have developed a dangerous understanding, with the elder statesman offering young Vohra one of his bats in exchange for century. It’s not all slam and bash in the Kings XI however. They possess a potent bowling attack despite missing both Sandeep Sharma and Mitchell Johnson with injury. 20-year-old Akshar Patel has a bright future, the slow left-armer emerging as the key spinner in the Kings XI lineup, ably backed up by Karanveer Singh.

Chennai Super Kings
The mighty men from Chennai avoided an unnecessary run-rate scare at the hands of the Lahore Lions, booking their place in the final with relative ease. Having had their match against the Lions rained out, Chennai came out winners against the Perth Scorchers and the Dolphins, going down to the Knight Riders. Aside from Kolkata, Chennai have had a favourable run of fixtures and will be rusty against quality such as that offered by the Kings XI. An incredible finishing ability bodes well for the Super Kings, who doubled their score against the Scorchers in the final five overs. Number three Suresh Raina is the highest scorer in CLT20 history and needs only two more sixes to be the first Indian to hit 200 of them in T20 cricket. However, the Kings XI batsmen have largely battled for consistent performances in this competition.

Their bowling attack, despite being destroyed in the last three meetings with the Kings XI, should be considered a strength. Ashish Nehra has had a great tournament thus far, taking eight wickets in only three matches. In Mohit Sharma and Dwayne Bravo they have experienced death bowlers with good accuracy and variation. Ravi Ashwin and Ravi Jadeja are vastly experienced spinners and are difficult customers to play with freedom. Chennai will need to see vast improvements among the attack when facing the Kings XI, as it was clearly a deficiency in this department that had them routed against Punjab in the IPL.

Venue
Hyderabad has seen some runs already in the tournament, but might prove a tricky wicket with a match being played earlier in the day. Most of the tracks have slowed up during the tournament and it is doubtful that we’ll see as free-flowing scoring as we are used to between these two sides. No rain is expected.

VERDICT: Kings XI Punjab 11/10
On the basis on the Kings XI’s sheer dominance of Chennai in all departments during the IPL, and the fact that they are unbeaten so far in the tournament, it seems strange to see them priced up as outsiders. On that note, there is absolutely no reason not to get behind the Kings XI Punjab at 11/10. Chennai seem to be experiencing a certain malaise, one that becomes apparent when hardly any new blood is introduced. Kings XI Punjab to blitz a predictable Super Kings.

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