Super Kings through to the finals …

The batting display from Kings XI Punjab this evening has been a complete letdown against Chennai Super Kings at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai.

They have scored a paltry 112 runs at the loss of eight wickets in the second semi-final of the DLF Indian Premier League.

Chennai bowlers were on top of the Kings XI from the very beginning. Makhaya Ntini, Manpreet Gony and Albie Morkel picked two wickets apiece.

None of the Punjab batsmen showed any resilience and wickets fell at regular intervals. The Wankhede wicket is slow and quiet challenging to bat. But a little bit of application would have put them in a better position.

Ramesh Powar was the highest scorer for Kings XI with unbeaten 25 runs. Wilkin Mota chipped in with 25 runs. He lost his wicket to Albie Morkel.

Earlier put in to field by Yuvraj, Chennai skipper MS Dhoni decided to open with Muralitharan. In the second over, Makhaya Ntini scalped Hopes' wickets for just 2 runs.

Dhoni didn't go with Muralitharan in the next over and instead chose Manpreet Gony. The move worked and Kumar Sangakkara was caught behind for three runs. But, it was a great gesture from the Sri Lankan wicketkeeper as neither the fieldsmen appealed nor the umpire gave him out. He knew he had nicked it and decided to walk off the field.

A great sportsmanship but Kings XI Punjab had to pay a huge price for it!

Skipper Yuvraj Singh, who looked to have regained his form against Rajasthan Royals with a 16-ball 49 runs, failed to perform as his statemate Manpreet Gony took his wicket when he tried to pull a short delivery only to be caught by Muralitharan for 4 runs.

Ntini then bowled the key man Shaun Marsh for 23 runs. Marsh has been in an ominous form and Chennai knew his was the most important wicket. In the next over of Gony, Ntini ran out Irfan Pathan for 3 runs.

Albie Morkel removed Punjab's last recognized batsman Mahela Jayawardene for just 8 runs. Smiling assassin Muraltharan picked Piyush Chawla as his only victim of the evening.

Kings XI Punjab:

Yuvraj Singh (Captain), Shaun Marsh, James Hopes, Kumar Sangakkara (wk), Mahela Jayawardene, Irfan Pathan, Wilkin Mota,PiyushChawla,RameshPowar,VRVSinghSreesanth.

Chennai Super Kings:

Mahendra Singh Dhoni (Captain), Parthiv Patel (wk), S Vidyut, Suresh Raina, Chamara Kapugedera, S Badrinath, Albie Morkel, Manpreet Gony, L Balaji, Muttiah Muralitharan, Makhaya Ntini.