ICC World Twenty20 - 2nd Semifinal: 5 influential players to keep an eye on!

Team India is a chock-a-block unit with dazzling stroke makers, and a silken spin-trio that has helped Dhoni's devils make their way into the last 4 with ease. Nobody ever thought that India could literally annihilate each of their 4 group-stage opponents, and have a clean sheet going into this delicious semifinal clash against the typical 'chokers', South Africa.South Africa, on the other hand, had to work much, much harder to get through as the 2nd team in their group. They started off their world cup campaign with a defeat against the Lankans, then escaped a major banana skin in the form of Netherlands, who very nearly ousted Du-Plessis's side from the current edition of T20 World Cup, but two morale-boosting victories against England and New Zealand gives them a fair chance of competing with their semifinal opponents, India.A World Cup semifinal is no smidgen clash, and any team would want their key personnels to step up to the plate. And when you talk about India and South Africa in the T20 format, there isn't a shortage of world class players, players who are awe-inspiring.With that being said, how many of those world class players can raise the bar on the night of the semifinal, and consequently end up deciding the fate of their sides?

#5 Ravichandran Ashwin

After the barren run in the tours of South Africa and New Zealand with the ball, Ashwin has recaptured his mojo in this ongoing edition of T20 World Cup in Bangladesh. His off-spinners have landed in the right areas, and the carom ball has to an extent kept the lid on some of the free-scoring batsmen of the world.

At Mirpur, the surface has come to the aid of Ashwin, who has enjoyed the bounce he has been able to generate so far. And if the wicket does play the way it did during the group games, Ashwin could well turn out to be the tormentor for South Africa.

Ashwin could be used during the powerplay overs, which could see him going face to face with Hashim Amla, who himself is a proven technician when it comes to playing spin bowling.

So brace yourself and watch out for the battle between Ashwin and Amla. If Ashwin does have the last laugh, the story of what Herath did to New Zealand could well resurface in this semifinal tie.