5 factors which could determine the result of the India-West Indies semi-final
After a tremendous display in the Super 10 stage of the ICC T20 World Cup 2016, India and West Indies have set up a mouth-watering semi-final clash at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. Going into a match of such grave importance, players from both teams will be feeling the heat and it will be a true test of nerves on Thursday.
While the West Indies started well and qualified for the semis after winning their first 3 matches, the Indians had to wait until their last encounter against Australia to make the last four. It may be difficult to pick a winner in this high-octane contest, but there are a few factors which may influence the eventual result of the game.
Here we take a closer look at 5 prominent ones:
How the Indian bowlers fare against Chris Gayle
Chris Gayle is surely going to be the biggest threat to India's chances of making it to the final of yet another edition of the T20 World Cup. As such, the performance of the Indian bowlers against the big West Indian will be crucial in terms of determining which of the two teams will be playing at the Eden Gardens on 3 April.
Considering Gayle's vast experience of playing in the IPL, most of the bowlers are well aware of his strengths and weaknesses. Similarly, the Jamaican southpaw also has enough knowledge of the lines and variations that each of the bowlers in India's current line-up can come up with.
One of the Indian bowlers who has enjoyed quite a lot of success against Chris Gayle in T20 cricket is off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin. In 9 innings, Ashwin has managed to get rid of Gayle on 4 occasions and has conceded his runs at less than a run per ball.
If India can get Chris Gayle early, they may be able to dictate terms in the match. On the other hand, a special effort from the left-hander may effectively put India out of the tournament.