England will face an unbeaten India side in Guyana on Thursday after the teams for the second semi-final of the men’s T20 World Cup were confirmed.
India’s 24-run victory against Australia in Saint Lucia on Monday – a seventh successive win in the tournament, with the India captain, Rohit Sharma, scoring 92 from 41 balls – means they will now top the first of the two Super Eight groups. This in turn means they will meet Jos Butter’s defending champions for a place in the final in Barbados on Saturday after they finished second on the other side of the draw.
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South Africa, who pipped England to top spot by beating West Indies on Sunday night and maintaining their own unbeaten record, will play the first semi-final in Trinidad on Wednesday night. Their opponents still hinge on the late game between Afghanistan and Bangladesh overnight, with the former still able to overtake second-placed Australia.
Logistics for the knockout stage of the tournament have always been contingent on whether India finished first or second in their Super Eight group after the International Cricket Council guaranteed they would play in Guyana if they progressed. While the decision has a clear commercial upside – the 10.30am local time start will attract a greater television audience in India – it has raised questions about sporting integrity.
Another issue is the weather, with the rainy season under way in the Caribbean. The first semi-final in Trinidad has a reserve day set aside, while the Guyana semi-final has no reserve day but 250 minutes of additional time allotted to ensure a result.
While group games in this tournament could be as little as five overs per side, the threshold for a completed match is raised to 10 overs per side in the knockout stage. If either semi-final is abandoned due to weather without a result, the team that finished top in their respective Super Eight group will progress to the final.
