It?s Semi-finals time at ICC Cricket World Cup 2015. As expected top four teams have made it to the Semis. Three mouth watering clashes are in store for cricket buffs over the next six days. Semi-Finals will be held on Tuesday, 24th March & Thursday, 26thMarch followed by a big Final which will be staged on Sunday, 29th?March.
Come Tuesday, the lazy city of Auckland in New Zealand will be up & cheering the Black Caps at the Picturesque Eden Park stadium where they take on the flamboyant South Africans in the 1st?Semi-Final. Both countries have never made it to the World Cup final so one can understand the significance of this contest. Almost entire New Zealand & South Africa will be glued to their Television Sets where as the lucky ones will be at the Eden Park to support their Teams.
If the group match at Auckland between Australia & New Zealand was anything to go by, one can hardly imagine what will the scenes in Auckland if the game goes down to the wire as it happened during the league match between the two?“Trans Tasman Cousins”.? Proteas with world class players like AB De?villiers, Hashim Amla, Dale Steyn & JP Duminy are looking slight favorites at this moment but it is very difficult to predict the result of this contest.
If ABD & his team can perform to their potential without choking under the pressure of Semi-Final they can emerge victorious. But for that to happen they have to play their best Cricket against the likes of inform Martin Guptill, Brendon Mccullum, Trent Boult & co. Whatever be the outcome let?s get ready to enjoy the showdown between two teams who have never won a World Cup Semi-Final.
The Second Semi-Final is scheduled this Thursday at the Traditional Sydney Cricket Ground between the current World Champions India & the host Australia. These two teams have seen enough of each other in last three months or so. Australia since they are playing at home has a slight edge in this clash but they will be nervous of competing against the World Champs who after their dismal tour down under have won seven straight games in the tournament. If Rohit, Shikhar, Virat & Ajinkya start middling their strokes it will be very difficult for the likes of Johnson, Starc & Hazlewood to contain them.
On the other hand if Warner, Finch, Watson, Maxwell start connecting the big ones than it will be a daunting task for in form Umesh , Shami, Mohit & Ashwin to stop the run flow. One positive thing for Team India is the leadership of Captain Cool Mahendra Singh Dhoni who has outstanding record in ICC Knockout matches. Even though this Semi-Final is a home game for Kangaroos don?t be surprised if Indian Fans outnumber the Aussies at SCG both in terms of attendance & decibel levels and turning it into a home affair for Indians.
After watching four one-sided quarter finals, Cricket Fans all around the globe are excepting some thrilling close encounters at Auckland & Sydney. As Cricket?s biggest carnival is reaching its ultimate climax, let?s get ready to enjoy some sensational Semi-Final games between the top four cricket playing nations on the planet. If you are an Indian Cricket Fan just keep praying for Team India?s victory against the mighty Aussies.