pbl-2018-ahmedabad-smash-masters-vs-mumbai-rockets-live

That's all that we have for you today. We will be back once the play-offs start and till then, it's from all of us at SportsCafe, I bid you goodbye and good night. Adios. 

The debutants came to the tournament with a lot of hope. They broke the bank to get HS Prannoy and Tai Tzu Ying. And what signings these two have turned out to be! Absolutely brilliant in their approach as they haved tamed the oppositions for fun as AMD enter their first ever semi-final in their first ever appearance.   

Mumbai have salavaged some pride here. But it is the Masters who have become the first side to book their place in the semi final of PBL 3. And What a way to do it. 5-0. Extraordinary

Can they close it off now? Or AMD will win the game to force the game to the decider? They are trying their best as Nandagopal with a point. 

What a wonderful drop shot by Dae there. Nandagopal was all at sea then as the duo wins two points in a row to bring up the match point.

The Chennai crowd are chanting Dae's name. He certainly wouldn't have expected that!!!

A Reginald service error gives Mumbai the lead again. Make it three. Nandagopal fails to keep the shuttle in play after a 24-shot rally. 

Oh they certainly can. Who would have thought a minute or two ago. With five points in a row they level things at 9-9.

AMD with two back to back points. Making a slow comeback. Fancy their chances?

AMD win a point through Reginald smash but he again hit the net on his service return to restore the five-point difference. 

AMD duo's performance in the second game so far has been disappointing to say the least. The Mumbai duo have brought all their experience to tame the opponent. And as I type this, Mumbai duo wins another point to enter the mid-game interval at 8-3

Seems unlikely as Mumbai duo takes a five-point lead as Nandagopal commits yet another error at the net. This is going to be mighty interesting. 

Reginald hits it long to give Mumbai one more point. Can they pull this off with a return? 

Nandagopal wins a point after Mumbai take the lead. Nandagopal is brilliant with his defense. But Dae secures a point to give Mumbai the lead again. 

Second game starts with both the teams sharing a point each.. 

But the result is not going to affect the eventual result in any way. AMD have already been through to the semi-finals. 

AND FINALLY A GAME FOR MUMBAI. FIRST WIN OF THE EVENING. 

Nandgopal hits his cross court smash well wide and Mumbai wins the first game of the evening. Can the AMD duo make a comeback and do a clean-sweep. 

What was that from Heong! He just surprises the AMD duo with his sublime smash and brings up the game point. 

Two back-to-back points for the Mumbai duo. The duo is looking salvage some pride here. Make it three. The three-point game as well.

Dae is attacking now with a series of smashes. And AMD fails to pick them all as Reginald hits into net. 

Nandagopal just knows how to get the job done. His sublime defense helps them secure two back to point before Dae earns one for his side. One-point game now. 

A service error bu Nandagopal gifts Mumbai a point. 

But remember, Dae has 43 Superseries doubles titles to his name. He has the capability to make a comeback to down the AMD duo. But Can he do it today?

Two back-to-back points for the AMD duo. Make it three. They make a stunning comeback to take a one-point lead at the mid-game break.

Reginald fails to return a Dae smash as the shuttle hits the net.  

Beautiful play by Reginald. Even Lee with his monster defense can't pick that one up. 

Offical challenge to Nandagopal hits it wide. Yes it is. Mumbai will take ut. 

Nandagopal's aggressive play at the net gives AMD a point. 

The Mumbai duo know how to get the job done. Leading 5-3 at the moment. 

Reginald hits one wide that Heong tries to return but fails. AMD though concedes one. 

Reginald is brimming with confidence as he smahes his way to secure the second point for his team.

AMD duo draw first blood. 

The Mumbai duo will start the proceeding in the last game of the evening. 

The Ahmedabad Smash Masters duo looked very comfortable against Chennai Smashers and Nandagopal has also shown glimpses of brilliance in close rallies. He was also helped by Reginald’s exceptional play at the backcourt and if the duo can do away with the minor chinks that haunted them on some of the points in the previous matches, it will be a huge task for Mumbai’s pair of Lee Yong Dae and Tan Boon Heong, who have won three matches out of four ties in this season.

Dae, who has 43 Superseries titles to his name across men’s and mixed doubles, has been an absolute legend of the game and enjoys his position at the top of the world rankings in both men’s and mixed doubles. Tan Boon Heong was also a World No.1 and a former Commonwealth Games and Asian Games winner as well. It will be a tough ask for the Smash Masters’ duo to brush aside the Mumbai pair. 

Although the game has now become a dead rubber with AMD through to the semis, Mumbai will try to salvage some pride by winning the loast match. 

Brilliant, brilliant game!!

With a smash from the fore court, Sourabh has booked a place for his side in the semi finals. 

MATCH POINT!!! Great play by Sameer throughout the 28-shot rally but his last shot lets him down. Straight into the net. 

TWO POINT GAME. Sourabh is too lax on this one. 

Sameer gets one back. And another one. Great drop by the younger Verma. Three poing game. Can he do it. Hope I am not jinxing it.

Sourabh is two points away from taking his side into the semis. He hits one into the net though. 

Sameer is trying to fight back as he takes two of the next three points on offer. 

But Sourabh has one back immediately. 

Sameer has won a point. We are not joking, he really has

LUCKY POINT FOR SOURABH. HIS SMASH COMES OFF THE NET BUT SOMEHOW SAMEER PICKS IT. CAN"T GET TO THE RETURN THOUGH

ANOTHER ERROR. SAMEER IS SINKING LIKE A ROCK HERE.

Can Sameer fight back? We certainly hope so. This is one of the games of the season so far.

AND IT'S SIX!!! Sameer is feeling the heat in Chennai. He needs to sort himself out soon, just like Sourabh did in the first, or this match and tie is done.

Make that five and how!! A Cross-court smash that Sameer has no answer for.

Sourabh makes it four in a row. Great judgment on the drive there.

Great effort by Sameer. He dives wide right to pick up a smash but cant get it over.

Great net play by Sourabh sets up a simple winner for him. 

Sameer hist one long. Called in. but Sourabh challenges. Well in. two point game

Great defence by Sourabh but that's one smash too many in the 23-shot rally. Sameer leads.

It's Sourabh's turn to give away cheap points. Scores level

Hurries through the point to give his brother a two point lead

Sameer tries to do a Tai at the net. Not good enough

Here we go

Can Sameer comeback? He is taking his time in coming to the court though

Sourabh will get us started here!!

WHAT A POINT!!! WHAT A GAME!!! Both players have chances to win the game but the other defended perfectly. However, with a winner required, Sourabh hits a pin point accurate drop that results in Sameer giving him an easy return for the winner. ADVANTAGE MASTERS

Uncharacteristc error at the net by Sameer. GOLDEN POINT

WHAT A RALLY!!! 50 SHOT RALLY!! AND THIS TIME IT'S SAMEER WHO COMES UP WITH THE GOODS. He somehow manages to pick up a smash and convert it into a winner

WOW!! Great reflexes by Sourabh!! After Verma senior wins a point, defends in the entire 19-shot rally to end up with the point LEVEL HERE!!

After both players win a point each, Sameer takes the initiative by perfectly letting a wide shot land. 

Oh Sourabh is getting his angles right now. Judges a hairpin perfectly. One point game now

Make that two.

Another attack on the body by Sourabh. Three-point game ;

He is back on serve though and  now has the lead as Sourabh's down the line smash is well wide.

CHALLENGE TIME!!!! Sameer challenges a wide call. He gets it wrong. two point game 

The Masters' star hits it long again. He needs to get his lengths right and quickly

Great play Sourabh. His first cross court smash is retrived but not the second one

Sourabh is struggling to keep up with his younger brother and after losing another point must be grateful for the mid-game break. He trails by three points though.

Finally we have a two point lead. Sourabh tried to be too cute at the net. Gives away the point.

After both players split two points down the middle. Sourabh attacks with a body smash and levels the game.

After Sourabh levels things up, he misses his hairpin and Sameer capitaizes

Error at the enet by Sameer. One point game.

AND AGAIN!!! We haven't seen any short rallies so far

Sameer takes the next two though. Both hit out by Sourabh.

WOW!! If this is a sign of things to come, this is going to be a classic. Great work at the net by both players but it's Sourabh who comes out on top

Sameer to start us off!!

Both players/brothers are on the court

Absolute thriller on the cards now. Two brothers going head to head. Both have been chosen as trumps by their respective franchises. This is going to decide which way the match is going to go and more importantly if Mumbai can stay in the semi final hunt

 Clash of the brothers!

Sourabh, who has been hot and cold in this season of the PBL, has come back to form by beating Frenchman Brice Leverdez in three games and that might be a worrying sign for his younger sibling. Sameer’s season, though, didn’t go as planned as it has been hampered by a shoulder injury and that resulted in his non-participation in the Japan Open in September.

However, Sameer did manage to win the Syed Modi International championship and also reached a couple of Superseries quarter-finals last season. In the last match against Awadhe Warriors, Sameer defeated Harshit Aggarwal in straight games and Sourabh needs to pull up his socks to get the getter of the younger Verma. 

It has been a horror show for Mumbai thus far but now it's the time to seize the momentum.

That will be all from Tai in the league stage. She wins quite comfortably at the end. It was only poetic to see Zhang hit the net again. 

One more point for Zhang but keeping with the trend of the game she throws away a point. MATCH POINT

This is not done yet. Zhang wins two points the second with a well disguised cross court smash 

After Zhang wins two quick points she lets the momentum slip by hitting the net again

Error at the net again by Zhang. Tai is three points away from the win.

What a poise by Tai. five point lead now.

Some Luck for Tai there. Zhangs smash has some venom but Tai's return trickles over off the tape.

Zhang tries to show off her judgement as well. But it's poor. She should have hit that one. It's a two point lead as the players head into the break.

After sharing a point apiece, Tai wins a longish rally by impeccable judgement for a long Zhang drive.

TWO back to back errors by Zhang makes it a level game. Zhang needs to make Tai stretch a bit or she will lose

And just like that, Tai is back. A Great drop sets up an easy winner for the Masters' star player.

After some good play by Tai, she misjudges the drive and it's still a three-point game.

But here comes Tai. No prizes for guessing where she won it. On the net again.

MAKE THAT FOUR. WHAT A COMEBACK AFTER THE FIRST GAME!!

Exceptional net play by the Mumbai player. Two-point lead.