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In the 2nd semi-final of the Premier Badminton League, the league debutants Ahmedabad Smash Masters will take on Bengaluru Blasters for a place in the final of the 2018 edition, The team that emerges victorious in this encounter will take on a red-hot Hyderabad Hunters team that beat Delhi Dashers in the other semi-final on Friday.  The Smash Masters boasts of two top-class singles players in the form of HS Prannoy and World No 1 Tai Tzu Ying. While Prannoy will square it off against World No 1 Viktor Axelsen, the women’s singles match will be between Tai Tzu and young Kirsty Gilmour. The semi-final will kick off with the first men’s singles match between Smash Masters’ Sourabh Verma facing Blasters’ Chong Wei Fang. The Trump card matches of the day will be the men’s doubles match followed by the women’s singles match between Tai Tzu and Gilmour. Meanwhile on Friday, former World Champion Carolina Marin came back from a game down to steer Hyderabad Hunters into the final of the Premier Badminton League (PBL) at the Gachibowli Indoor Stadium. Marin, cheered on by a vociferous home crowd, overcame a fighting Sun Ji Hun 13-15, 15-10, 15-9 to dash the hopes of Delhi Dashers in a gripping semi-final. She picked up two points for her win as her team’s Trump player. Earlier, local hero B Sai Praneeth set up the victory by beating the Dashers’ Trump player Tian Houwei. The Hyderabadi was on song, rattling the Chinese World No 22 with a flurry of down the line smashes. He raced away to a 15-9, 15-8 victory to get the crowds on their feet. The Hunters shot into a 1-0 lead as the Dashers lost the point that they had won while also yielding a point. The Hunters began on the wrong foot, with the Hyderabad duo of Pia Zebadiah Bernadet and Satwiksairaj Rankireddy losing the opening clash. They lost to Ashwini Ponnappa and Vladimir Ivanov 15-13, 10-15, 10-15 as the crowd fell silent. Ashiwni and the tall Russian lost the first game but cam back strongly in the next two. India’s doubles specialist Ashwini was in her elements as she ensured Delhi’s comeback with her decisive returns. They took charge soon to wrap up the next two games 15-10, 15-10. The clash between Marin and Sung Ji was a thriller, with both players showcasing a range of shots while also defending well. Marin suffered a setback in the opening game as Sung Ji toyed around with her, mixing her drop shots with perfection. It was still a close match, with Marin losing 13-15. The second game was tighter and gave the fans a lot to cheer about as Marin lifted her game. She was rolling hard and retrieved virtually every shot to frustrate the Korean. Midway through the game, she took charge with a series of points to deflate Sung Ji 15-10. Thereafter, it was Marin all the way. She didn’t give the visibly tiring Sung Ji any opportunity and forced her into errors to capture the third game as well as the match. With inputs from IANS
Highlights, PBL 2018, 2nd semi-final: Sikki Reddy-Kim Sa Rang take Bengaluru Blasters into the final
catch the live score and updates from the 2nd semi-final of the PBL 2018 between Ahmedabad Smash Masters and Bengaluru Blasters
 "Highlights, PBL 2018, 2nd semi-final: Sikki Reddy-Kim Sa Rang take Bengaluru Blasters into the final")
It was a match worthy of a semi-final that saw the advantage shifting hands after every game. Hard luck for tournament debutants Ahmedabad Smash Masters who end their run agonisingly close to their maiden final.
It will be Bengaluru Blasters led by Viktor Axelen who will face Hyderabad Hunters in Sunday’s Final. With both teams winning their trump matches, Smash Masters winning the opening men’s singles encounter (Sourabh Verma) and Blasters winning the other men’s singles encounter (Viktor Axelsen), it all came down to the final mixed doubles match. This match between two top quality pairs went down to the wire and it was the Blasters duo of Sikki Reddy and Kim Sa Rang who beat the Smash Masters pair of Kamilla Rytter Juhl and Law Cheuk.
That’s it from us today and join us on Sunday for the Final between Bengaluru Blasters and Hyderabad Hunters.
It's a disappointing night for @amdsmashmasters as the debutants bow out in the semi-finals, while @Blr_Blasters reach the final for the first time! Here's how things finished in the second semi-final of the #VodafonePBL Season 3.#BLRvAMD #SmashTheHouseDown pic.twitter.com/vMZW7XEjt1
— Premier Badminton League (@PBLIndiaLive) January 13, 2018
The Bengaluru Blasters camp erupt in celebration after their remarkable win.
The duo of @sikkireddy and #KimSaRang win the match 15-12, 13-15, 15-9 to send @ViktorAxelsen-led @Blr_Blasters into the Final.
— Firstpost Sports (@FirstpostSports) January 13, 2018
LIVE: https://t.co/kCxjPo28EE#PBL2018 #BLRvAMD pic.twitter.com/Cbw5E06qXG
It is Bengaluru Blasters who enter the Final of the PBL 2018.
The duo of Sikki Reddy and Kim Sa Rang win the match 15-12, 13-15, 15-9 to send the Viktor Axelsen-led team into the Final. They will be up against Hyderabad Hunters.
8-7! Blasters go into the mid-game interval of the decider with a 1-point lead
— Firstpost Sports (@FirstpostSports) January 13, 2018
LIVE: https://t.co/kCxjPo28EE#PBL2018 #BLRvAMD
What a tense game this is proving to be!
— Premier Badminton League (@PBLIndiaLive) January 13, 2018
4-4 in the final game of this decider. Who will win and take their team to the final?#BLRvAMD #VodafonePBL #SmashTheHouseDown
We go to the final game in the decider!
— Premier Badminton League (@PBLIndiaLive) January 13, 2018
Juhl & Law Cheuk are not going to give up that easily as they win the second game 15-13.#BLRvAMD #VodafonePBL #SmashTheHouseDown
11-9! to Reddy and Kim. They are on a roll at the moment. At one point, the duo was trailing 6-9 and look where we are now. It’s all about the combination!
8-5! #Ahmedabad are in the lead at the mid-game interval of the 2nd game. Will this go into a decider?
— Firstpost Sports (@FirstpostSports) January 13, 2018
LIVE: https://t.co/kCxjPo28EE#PBL2018 #BLRvAMD
.@ViktorAxelsen remains unbeaten in #VodafonePBL Season 3!
— Premier Badminton League (@PBLIndiaLive) January 13, 2018
The Dane helps @Blr_Blasters draw level in the semi-final. What an intense tie this is!#BLRvAMD #SmashTheHouseDown pic.twitter.com/YVwEZT4e6c
12-12! A closely-contested opening game so far that has been filled with extremely short rallies
— Firstpost Sports (@FirstpostSports) January 13, 2018
LIVE: https://t.co/eMyeVdz8rQ#PBL2018 #BLRvAMD
8-6! The #Ahmedabad duo go into the mid-game break of the all-important match with a 2-point lead in the opening game
— Firstpost Sports (@FirstpostSports) January 13, 2018
LIVE: https://t.co/kCxjPo28EE#PBL2018 #BLRvAMD
Juhl & Law Cheuk take the early lead in this match as they are up 6-3 against Kim Sa Rang & Sikki Reddy.#BLRvAMD #VodafonePBL #SmashTheHouseDown
— Premier Badminton League (@PBLIndiaLive) January 13, 2018
Sikki Reddy’s husband B Sumeeth Reddy is here to support the Bengaluru Blasters.
This semi-final is going down to the wire. It is time for the deciding mixed doubles match between @KamillaRytter83 - Law Cheuk Him and #KimSaRang -
— Firstpost Sports (@FirstpostSports) January 13, 2018
@sikkireddy
LIVE: https://t.co/kCxjPo28EE#PBL2018 #BLRvAMD
VIKTORIOUS! Axelsen beats Prannoy in straight games (15-11, 15-14) to help Blasters stay in the hunt for a place in the final. The scores are tied at 3-3 now. Despite the loss, Prannoy gave Axelsen a tough fight there
.@ViktorAxelsen wins that all-important match 15-11,15-14 to ensure the @Blr_Blasters are still in contention for a place in the final.
— Firstpost Sports (@FirstpostSports) January 13, 2018
The tie is at 3-3 after four matches.
LIVE: https://t.co/kCxjPo28EE#PBL2018 #BLRvAMD pic.twitter.com/fc3o4svyns
12-12! Both players are making silly mistakes from the backcourt. Axelsen has applied too much power in his last two shots.
11-11! that was a smart leave from Prannoy to level the scores. Will this match see a decider?
— Firstpost Sports (@FirstpostSports) January 13, 2018
LIVE: https://t.co/kCxjPo28EE#PBL2018 #BLRvAMD
8-4! Prannoy mistimes that smash to let Axelsen take a 4-point lead in the mid-game interval of the 2nd game
— Firstpost Sports (@FirstpostSports) January 13, 2018
LIVE: https://t.co/kCxjPo28EE#PBL2018 #BLRvAMD
Nervous moments for both the camps as we inch closer towards the result of the tie
15-11! Prannoy hits that long to see Axelsen clinch that opening game. The Dane is keeping the Blasters alive in the semi-final
— Firstpost Sports (@FirstpostSports) January 13, 2018
LIVE: https://t.co/kCxjPo28EE#PBL2018 #BLRvAMD
12-10! yet another backhand unforced error from Prannoy to let Axelsen take a 2-point lead
— Firstpost Sports (@FirstpostSports) January 13, 2018
LIVE: https://t.co/kCxjPo28EE#PBL2018 #BLRvAMD
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