The Kolkata Knight Riders beat Kings XI Punjab in this afternoon's IPL qualifier to win their eighth straight game and reach the final of the tournament.
Punjab, who finished the season in top spot with a record of 11 wins and three losses, won the toss and chose to bowl first this afternoon in Kolkata.
Mitchell Johnson took the wicket of Gautam Gambhir with the eighth ball, but it was the other Kolkata opener who Punjab wanted to remove early.
Robin Uthappa went into the qualifier in fine form and continued that with his 10th successive 40+ score - 42 off 30 balls - before he was out to Akshar Patel in the ninth over.
By that time he had put on a 65-run partnership with Manish Pandey (21) and the rest of Kolkata's middle order all contributed scores around the 20 mark as they finished their 20 overs on 163-8.
Patel was the star bowler for the Kings XI, finishing with two wickets and just 11 runs scored off his four overs.
Like Gambhir, fellow Indian Virender Sehwag was gone early for the Kings XI, who then also had a strong second-wicket stand between Manan Vohra (26) and Wriddhiman Saha (35).
However, unlike the Knight Riders, Punjab couldn't find decent scores in the middle and eventually fell 28 runs short on 135-8.
Umesh Yadav was the pick of Kolkata's bowlers, taking three wickets and conceding just 13 runs in his four overs.
They still have a chance to reach the final, though, as they will now go on to face the winner of the eliminator later today between the Chennai Super Kings and Mumbai Indians on Friday.
The winner of Friday's qualifier will then go through to face Kolkata in Sunday's final.
Pascal Lemesre
