India vs Australia World Cup Semi-Final: Top 5 Battles
India take on Australia in a high-voltage World Cup semi-final clash at the Sydney Cricket Ground on Thursday. While both the teams are salivating at the prospect of knocking their opposition out, what would grab the eyeballs are the mini-battles in the clash of the current and the former World Champions. While India will try to look for one chink in the Aussie armour, the batsmen will have to step up to the plate and counter their quicks. Here are the players who might own the stage on the big day.
India and Australia face off in the second semi-final of the World Cup. Here is a look at the battles within the war when they clash on the field:
Mohammed Shami vs David Warner
Australia's newbie paceman Josh Hazlewood has asked for some grass on the Sydney wicket. Sure enough they have the arsenal to intimidate the Men in Blue, but India's bowling in this tournament has been top class. Leading from the front has been Mohammed Shami with 17 wickets at an average of 13.29. And he will look to eliminate David Warner early. Except for one century against minnows Afghanistan, the opener hasn't converted decent starts into big scores. However stats tell Shami has never managed to get the better of this doughty Aussie opener either.(Maxwell Urges Fans to be Mean)
Shikar Dhawan vs Mitchell Starc
Mitchell Starc has shone in this tournament with his acute bowling angles and in-swinging yorkers in death overs. He would know the key to strike terror in Shikar Dhawan's heart would be to invade the corridor of uncertainty around the off stump. He is aware of the frailty in the left-hander's approach. Though Shikhar has made amends since the early half of the summer, the leading wicket-taker in the tournament with 18 scalps also knows that it may not be difficult to crack the Dhawan code.(India's Dismal Record Does Not Matter: Chappell)
Virat Kohli vs Glenn Maxwell
Glenn Maxwell has dismissed Virat Kohli only once in his entire career. But the all-rounder wants to target India's best batsman. He says that the Aussies would have their plan worked out for Kohli on Thursday. The key for the hosts would be to keep the Indian Vice Captain quiet. He hasn't had a big one in the last few games and a game against Australia could just bolster Kohli to punch above his weight. The Delhi boy is one for the big show as is the Aussie Big Show!(Rameez Urges India to Learn From Wahab)
Michael Clarke vs R Ashwin
Imran Tahir's exploits in Sydney during the quarter final may have got Ravi Ashwin into strategy mode. NDTV's expert Ian Chappell, arguably one of the best Australian skippers feel that Ravi Ashwin's form on the SCG track will come handy because it always turns a bit. Add to that, the spinner's penchant for the key opposition batsman could set up a mouth-watering contests with Michael Clarke. The Aussie skipper has not yet lit up the tournament with his exquisite strokes and this may be one opportunity to come into his own.(Pacers Make Dhoni Proud)
Suresh Raina vs Mitchell Johnson
Despite his match winning hundred against Zimbabwe and a half-century during the quarter final vs Bangladesh, Mitchell Johnson will sniff an opportunity to test Suresh Raina with some short pitched stuff. Raina has hopped, jabbed and missed out on earlier occasions, getting dismissed five times in fourteen matches to Johnson. But make no mistake, he will be out in the middle with new-found confidence.(Watson Has Answered his Critics: Lee)
A month back when Ravi Shastri said that India was the only team that could dump Australia out of the World Cup, many thought that was yet another empty exercise in the vocal cords by the team director. But now many are thinking that if there is one hurdle to the cup that India to overcome, it is Australia!