Champions League T20 1st Semifinal: KKR win by 7 wickets

Kolkata Knight Riders booked their berth in the final of the Champions League Twenty20 2014 with a comfortable seven-wicket win over Hobart Hurricanes.

The reigning IPL champions extended their winning streak to an incredible 14 matches and will await the winner of the second semifinal between Chennai Super Kings and Kings XI Punjab in the final on Saturday October 4 in Bengaluru.

Chasing a modest target of 141, Kallis paced his innings beautifully to steer them home with an unbeaten knock of 54 off 40 balls.

His knock contained four boundaries and two sixes.

Pandey (40) who smashed six boundaries and a six shared in a match-winning stand of 63 for the third wicket with Kallis.

KOLKATA KNIGHT RIDERS INNINGS

Kallis hammers Bollinger over the midwicket fielder for a six for the actual winning hit as Kolkata win by seven wickets and five balls to spare.

Kallis launches Doherty back over his head for a towering six for possibly the winning blow for Kolkata. KKR 135-3 in 19 overs.

Pathan slams Laughlin through the covers for a boundary. KKR 124-3 in 18 overs.

Kallis and Pathan are content to do it in single while Hobart are desperate for wickets. KKR 116-3 in 17 overs.

KKR need 30 from 24 balls. KKR 111-3 in 16 overs.

Pandey holes out to Malik in the deep. KKR 107-3 in 15.2 overs.

Manish Pandey c Shoaib Malik b Laughlin 40 (32b 6x4 1x6)

Kolkata are cruising, needing 36 from five overs. KKR 105-2 in 15 overs.

Pandey virtually flicks Bollinger for a maximum over midwicket to bring up the half century partnership with Kallis. KKR 100-2 in 14 overs.

Kolkata are on course with Pandey smashing two consecutive boundaries. KKR 92-2 in 13 overs.

Pandey survives after being caught behind off a no-ball from Hilfenhaus.

Pandey slams two consecutive boundaries off Laughlin. KKR 81-2 in 12 overs.

Doherty strikes claiming the big wicket of the in-form Uthappa. KKR 44-2 in 7.2 overs.

Robin Uthappa b Doherty 17 (21b 3x4 0x6)

Kallis gets going hitting a couple of boundaries off Hilfenhaus. KKR 29-1 in 5 overs.

The pressure of tight over by Hilfenhaus seems to have got to Gambhir who flicks to the midwicket fielder. KKR 20-1 in 3.3 overs.

Gautam Gambhir c Wells b Bollinger 3 (11b 0x4 0x6) S

Uthappa gets Kolkata's run chase underway by cracking two consecutive boundaries off Hilfenhaus. KKR 8-0 in 1 over.

HOBART HURRICANES INNINGS

A whirlwind unbeaten knock of 66 from just 46 balls by Shoaib Malik lifted Hobart Hurricanes to 140-6.

Hurricanes smashed 49 in the last four overs with Malik whacking four sixes and four boundaries.

Gulbis featured in a cameo of 15 while opener Dunk made a brisk 39 off 29 balls.

E Gulbis run out 15 (8b 2x4 0x6)

Chawla castles Wells. Hob 91-5 in 16.1 overs.

J Wells b Chawla 3 (6b 0x4 0x6)

Malik uses his feet and clobbers Chawla over long off for his second six. Hob 88-4 in 15 overs.

Narine strikes as Birt hits straight to midwicket. Hob 77-4 in 13.5 overs.

Travis Birt c ten Doeschate b Narine 13 (23b 0x4 0x6)

Hurricanes lose their third wicket as Dunk's aggressive knock comes to an end slicing to point. Hob 46-3 in 8.1 overs.

Ben Dunk c Gambhir b Kuldeep Yadav 39 (29b 4x4 1x6)

Russell goes for plenty with Dunk smashing three boundaries. Hob 28-2 in 5 overs.

Blizzard is out for a golden duck adjudged leg before though he appeared to have got an inside edge onto the pad. Hob 13-2 in 2.4 overs.

Aiden Blizzard lbw b Pathan 0 (1b 0x4 0x6) 

Dunk gets a boundary off an inside edge and blasts Pathan for the first maximum.

Russell draws first blood with a slower delivery as Michael chips a return catch. Hob 4-1 in 2 overs.

Dominic Michael c & b Russell 0 (6b 0x4 0x6)

Yusuf Pathan opens proceedings against Dunk and Michael.

PLAYING XI

Kolkata Knight Riders: Robin Uthappa, Gautam Gambhir, Jacques Kallis, Manish Pandey, Yusuf Pathan, Ryan ten Doeschate, Suryakumar Yadav, Andre Russell, Piyush Chawla, Sunil Narine, Kuldeep Yadav

Hobart Hurricanes: BR Dunk, DP Michael, AC Blizzard, Shoaib Malik, TR Birt, JW Wells, EP Gulbis, BW Hilfenhaus, XJ Doherty, B Laughlin, DE Bollinger

Hobart Hurricanes have won the toss and will bat first.

Dom Michael comes in for regular Hobart skipper Tim Paine.

Knight Riders are unchanged.

PREVIEW

Reigning IPL champions Kolkata Knight Riders will seek to extend their winnings streak when they face Hobart Hurricanes in the first semifinal of the Champions League T20 at Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium, Hyderabad.

Former CLT20 champions Chennai Super Kings will take on Kings XI Punjab in the other semifinal.

The Gautam Gambhir-led side are on a roll, having won their last 13 matches, and will be keen to add two more games to that streak.

Hobart Hurricanes started their campaign with a defeat to Kings XI Punjab.

They have bounced back since winning each of their remaining three Group stage matches convincingly.

Runner-up in the Big Bash League 03, the team from Down Under will be have overcome the guiles of KKR spinners particularly Sunil Narine.

The winner of this match will fly out to M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru for the title clash on October 4, while the loser of this contest will return home along with a cheque for $500,000.

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