Brett Lee Tips Balanced Australia to Swing India in World Cup 2015 Semi-Final

Former Australia fast bowler Brett Lee believes the balance of the hosts' side will see them defeat defending champions India in Thursday's World Cup semi-final at the Sydney Cricket Ground. (Complete World Cup coverage | Stats)

"I honestly think that Australia will win on Thursday, I think they've got the right balance in the team," said Lee, a popular figure in the sub-continent where he has appeared in the Indian Premier League Twenty20 tournament and also released a hit record, on Tuesday. (Ashwin could be India's game-changer: Stuart Clark)

"With David Warner and Aaron Finch at the top, Steven Smith's slotted in beautifully at number three, Michael Clarke at four, Shane Watson at five, I think that's a really good balance for the side, whichever way they want to go with the quicks," he added at an ICC World Cup pop-up event in Sydney. (Australia, India braced for verbal onslaught)

"Josh Hazlewood did extremely well with his four for 35 off his 10 overs (against Pakistan in the quarter-final in Adelaide), Pat Cummins, who might get his opportunity here. (Top five reasons why India can stun Australia)

"Australia's spoilt for choice, they've got the experience, the youth coming through, I reckon they've got a really well-balanced team." (India vs Australia: A history of over-heated battles)

India's pace attack of Mohammed Shami, Umesh Yadav and Mohit Sharma has, to the surprise of some pundits, been one of the keys to their run to the last four. (Darren Lehmann predicts high-scoring Australia-India semis)

Shami is one of the tournament's leading bowlers with 17 wickets and Lee said: "He's been really impressive. I've played a fair bit of cricket with Shami over the last couple of years, he's a wonderful guy and goes in hard. (World Cup semi-final: Virat Kohli's record vs Australia)

"Yadav is the other player that bowls good pace. They've got a three-pronged pace attack who can all bowl quick, who can all bowl up to 145 km/h. (Virat Kohli seeks SCG redemption)

"If they land the ball in the right spot, they've got a really good chance of getting wickets."

- 'Remarkable' Dhoni -

Meanwhile former England captain Michael Vaughan praised India skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni's leadership qualities after overseeing an unbeaten run to the semi-finals coming off a winless Test and one-day series in Australia. (Australia hoping for fast pitch in World Cup semis vs India)

"There's something about MS Dhoni and World Cups. Whatever he did after the tri-series is remarkable, with the change in the team, the change in mentality, the change in the way they've played at the World Cup," Vaughan said at Tuesday's event.

"MS Dhoni knows how to win a World Cup and I think that goes quite a long way." (James Faulkner confident Australia can kill off India)

Vaughan added: "If India were going to play Australia in a semi-final in Australia, the wicket that they would have chosen would be the SCG. I think it will take some spin. (India fans set to conquer Sydney, Clarke seeks help)

"We've talked a lot about pace -- (Australia's) Mitchell Starc has been the bowler of the tournament -- but India have the (Ravichandran) Ashwin and (Ravindra) Jadeja combination.

"The spin twins will be very important against Australia and that's why Smith and Clarke are crucial because they are the two players who play spin the best for Australia and one of those two, I believe, will have to get a decent score."

There were several verbal flare-ups during India's tour of Australia and Vaughan said more could be expected during the semi-final.

"I can pretty much guarantee that when you play Australia, there will be some words," said Vaughan, England's Ashes-winning captain in 2005.

"The Indians will give it plenty too, they are not quiet, Virat (Kohli) and co."