5.20 pm: Morten Frost had an interesting point at the start of the match. The Indians have a Plan A very similar to the Minions, but are just much better at it. Came true again. A great second game from the Indian PoV but still not enough to better the Minions. Anyway, Satwik-Chirag (if we are not mistaken) have to now wait for the result of the final tomorrow and hope the Indonesians defeat their Japanese opponents Akira KOGA and Taichi SAITO if the latter reach the title clash. That will help the Indians make the cut for the World Tour Finals next week.

The wait continues for Satwik & Chirag. Bested by the best in the world once again. Gideon and Sukamuljo clinch a thoroughly entertaining second game, and enter the final with a straight-games win.

Gideon-Sukamuljo 21-16, 21-18 Satwik-Chirag: MINIONS WIN! The world No 1 and top seeds are just something else. A great battle in the second game, but they put together a stunning late run to win in straight games again. 10 defeats for Satwik-Chirag against the Indonesians in 10 matches.

Gideon-Sukamuljo 21-16, 19-17 Satwik-Chirag: An absolutely sensational backhand crosscourt defensive drive from Gideon leaves Chirag on the court. Just how quickly did he change the direction there! On the charge the Indonesians now.

Gideon-Sukamuljo 21-16, 17-17 Satwik-Chirag: The challenge is successful from the Indians (even the referee leaves us a bit confused) as they win a nice rally.

Gideon-Sukamuljo 21-16, 16-16 Satwik-Chirag: The small but loud Indonesian contingent have been silenced here briefly. (or they have left, can’t really say!) Good spell for the Indians. And then the point of the match! Kevin with a ridiculous late flick to send one back over, Chirag with a quick run to the sideliness to change his racket and ultimately the 51-shot rally goes the way of the Indonesians. And before we know it, it is 16-16!

Gideon-Sukamuljo 21-16, 12-15 Satwik-Chirag: A reminder that Satwik-Chirag have only ever won one game against the Minions before in 9 matches. They are 14-11 ahead now in the 2nd game. Two successive reviews from the Indians in that phase of play, one right. Satwik plays a superb crosscourt net shot, staying three points ahead.

Gideon-Sukamuljo 21-16, 10-11 Satwik-Chirag The Indians have a slender 11-10 lead into the interval of the second game. Can they force a decider?

Gideon-Sukamuljo 21-16, 10-10 Satwik-Chirag: The rallies are getting longer. The Minions are getting stretched, but they are still in control> Indian youngsters battling hard at the moment.

Gideon-Sukamuljo 21-16, 7-8 Satwik-Chirag: Oh dear. A rally that they had no business winning! After dominating the 46-shot rally, Chirag misses a simple forehand tap. Can’t afford such mistakes against the Minions.

Gideon-Sukamuljo 21-16, 5-8 Satwik-Chirag: The Minions helping out with service errors of their own as well! Not for height, but they are getting their landing wrong.

Gideon-Sukamuljo 21-16, 4-6 Satwik-Chirag: Another service fault for height against Chirag! It is a serious problem for the Indian pair.

Gideon-Sukamuljo 21-16, 2-5 Satwik-Chirag: A decent early lead for the Indians here. At 4-2, a super long rally (by this match’s standards) of 43 shots. The Indians clearly trying Plan B, to play more clears and lifts... instead of flat points. Worked in that case.

Here’s how Game 1 panned out:

Gideon-Sukamuljo 21-16 Satwik-Chirag: First game, Minions! Good late recovery from the Indians but the top seeds from Indonesia were in control for pretty much the entire duration of that opener. 21-16 in 16 mins.

Gideon-Sukamuljo 20-15 Satwik-Chirag: Seven game points for the Minions. One saved by a smart Chirag winner. Second saved by one of the best rallies of the evening so far. 32 shots. Longest as well.

Gideon-Sukamuljo 18-12 Satwik-Chirag: Oh dear, service fault from Chirag.

Gideon-Sukamuljo 17-12 Satwik-Chirag: One way traffic at the moment but the serve comes back to the Indians now on the back of a rare error from Kevin. Another one follows, and the gap closes down a bit.

Gideon-Sukamuljo 14-8 Satwik-Chirag: A lucky net chord after the break helps Indians get a rare quick point but the next rally goes the top seeds’ way. Another brilliant net intervention from Gideon restores a 5-point lead, becomes six as Chirag nets a backhand.

Gideon-Sukamuljo 11-6 Satwik-Chirag: There are no fans allowed in the stadium but from the sounds of it, the entire Indonesian contingent is in the audience and they are creating quite the atmosphere. Some sensational exchanges from both pairs but the Minions are on fire. The run of points end at 7 as Chirag kills a point at the net but at the interval a handy 5-point lead for the world No 1.

Gideon-Sukamuljo 8-5 Satwik-Chirag: A nice behind-the-back retrieve from Chirag but the Minions are all over that rally. And now 5 straight points for the top seeds.

Gideon-Sukamuljo 6-5 Satwik-Chirag: More rallies after the flurry of early initial points. The Minions are starting to assert their tempo after the Indians had a mini lead.

Gideon-Sukamuljo 1-2 Satwik-Chirag: Here we go! Three of the fastest opening points you will see. Two service errors in there, one for each pair. Worth noting that the Indoensians are the two-time defending champions of this tournament.

Hello and welcome to our live coverage of the Indonesia Open badminton tournament. It is time for the men’s doubles semifinals.... and a chance for India’s ace doubles shuttlers to end a long wait.

Sixth-seeded pairing of Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty, ranked 11, defeated the Malaysian combination of Goh Sze Fei and Nur Izzuddin in the quarterfinals on Friday. Their reward for that was a meeting against top seeds Marcus Fernaldi Gideon and Kevin Sanjaya Sukamuljo... the Minions, as they are called on tour (and for quick reference on this blog as well). The Indians have never defeated the Indonesian legends in nine previous meetings but will sense blood here in Bali as the world No 1 pair have shown in recent times they are certainly not invincible.