The second T20 World Cup semi-final gets underway at the iconic Wankhede Stadium today (Thursday) with England and India locking horns for a place in the final. Both sides are two-time champions and boast well-balanced outfits, setting the stage for a contest where there is little to separate.

India in particular have had to roll up their sleeves and graft their way through the Super Eight stage. Having stumbled in their opener against South Africa, they were forced into two must win encounters inside a week and came through with flying colours. Those victories have hardened their resolve and ensured the defending champions arrive at the business end battle ready.

England, meanwhile, began the tournament on shaky ground. They were given a scare by Nepal and later tasted defeat against West Indies, leaving them with little room for error. But like seasoned campaigners, the Englishmen have steadied the ship and found their rhythm when it matters most.

One of England’s biggest strengths has been their ability to play spin with confidence in recent months. Their bowling attack too has evolved. No longer overly reliant on pace and swing, England have shown the nous to mix things up, calling on a variety of spin options when conditions demand it.

There is, however, one blot on their scorecard. In the last five games, their opener Jos Buttler has struggled for runs, repeatedly departing for single digit scores. But his glovework behind the stumps has been impeccable and with several of England’s batters firing on all cylinders, they can afford to carry one misfiring gun in the line-up.

Still nursing the wounds of a painful Ashes defeat, reaching the World Cup final would go a long way in restoring pride in the England camp and perhaps even saving a few careers that are currently on the line.

India, meanwhile, carry the weight of expectation that only cricket in this country can generate. As defending champions, they have the backing of a cricket mad nation and Wankhede will be a cauldron of noise when the two sides take the field.

For Sri Lankan fans, the venue also stirs bittersweet memories. It was here at Wankhede that Sri Lanka’s dreams were shattered in the 2011 World Cup final, when India lifted the trophy.

One concern for India ahead of the big clash will be their catching. They have been sloppy in the field, grassing several chances and recording a worrying catching percentage. Their overall strength has masked those lapses so far, but dropped catches at this stage of the tournament can come back to haunt even the strongest of sides.

Earlier, South Africa and New Zealand were set to square off in the first semi-final in Calcutta on Wednesday. The winners will head to Ahmedabad where they will await the victors of the Bombay clash for Sunday’s grand finale.

Rex Clementine in Bombay

Opener Hasini Perera’s second T20I fifty, on the back of two wickets apiece by left-arm spinners Sugandika Kumari and Inoka Ranaweera, capped off another strong effort by Sri Lanka as they beat West Indies by nine wickets to seal the three-match T20I series 2-0.

Captain Chamari Athapaththu won the toss and elected to field in Grenada, and much like in the second T20I, the spinners strangled the West Indies batters. Sugandika was introduced into the attack in the third over and she struck with her third ball, nipping out Hayley Matthews, caught and bowled for 8.

Ranaweera then struck with her second ball, prising out Shawnisha Hector, before Sugandika picked up a third wicket in the powerplay in the form of Eboni Brathwaite. Deandra Dottin struck three fours in her first ten balls as West Indies ended the powerplay on a high but slowed down spectacularly after that, only managing 28 off 39 balls as West Indies added just 34 runs in the ten overs after the end of the powerplay.

Ranaweera finished her frugal four-over spell by trapping Dottin lbw, and four balls later, Kavisha Dilhari cleaned up the other set batter, Stafanie Taylor, for 24.

At 83 for 5 after 18 overs, West Indies were in danger of falling short of 100 but Chinelle Henry gave the innings much-needed impetus, smashing an unbeaten 32 off 15 and helping them take 36 runs off the last two overs. Despite the late onslaught, West Indies finished on a below-par 119 for 5.

In reply, Athapaththu raced away again, crashing four fours in the first three overs with Sri Lanka going at nearly ten an over. Sri Lanka added 48 runs in the powerplay without losing a wicket and while Athapaththu fell soon after for a 22-ball 32 to Afy Fletcher, she had set a solid platform.

With the required rate less than six an over, Perera and Imesha Dulani focused more on rotating the strike, putting together an unbroken 72-run stand for the second wicket off 64 balls. Perera took 58 balls to reach her fifty before Dulani finished the match and the series by striking a four off Matthews. Sri Lanka won the game with 14 balls to spare, making it a double success for them, having earlier won the ODIs 2-1.

Brief scores:

Sri Lanka Women

121 for 1 in 17.4 overs (Hasini Perera 52*, Imesha Dulani 34*, Chamari Athapaththu 3; Afy Fletcher 1-14) beat West Indies women 119 for 5 in 20 overs (Stafnie Taylor 24, Deandra Dottin 28, Chinelle Henry 32*; Inoka Ranaweera 2-16, Sugandika Kumari 2-32, Kavisha Dilhari 1-13) by nine wickets

[Cricinfo]

15TH MCA G DIVISION T20 LEAGUE TOURNAMENT

CIC Holdings, MAS Active Kreeda and VS Information Systems registered wins In their first round games of the MCA G Division 20 over League Cricket Tournament last Saturday while Emar Pharma, WSO2, Singer Sri Lanka, Alaris Lanka and Regnis Appliances won their games on Sunday.

In the Group C game played at the D S Senanayake College grounds on Saturday morning Achala Jayalath smashed 75 runs off 37 balls [8 fours and 5 sixes] while Asela Priyadarshana captured 4 wickets to help CIC Holdings to crush LSEG by 113 runs. In the afternoon game played at the same venue VS Information Systems overcame Inqube Global by 30 runs in their group F encounter.

In a group B game played at the Dharmapala College ground in Pannipitiya MAS Active Kreeda, powered by an unbeaten half ton by Jineetha Malith [62 not out] and an all-round performance by Sivkumar Patheepan [3/21 and 26 not out] defeat Synergen Health by six wickets.

In the games played on Sunday,

A 53 ball 93 [11 fours and 4 sixes] and 2-27 by Deshan Fernando helped Emar Pharma crush LOLC Insurance by 88 runs in the group B match played at Darley Road..

In the group A game played at the same venue in the afternoon, Unbeaten tons by WSO2’s Devin Jayasinghe [103 not out in 54 balls with 8 fours and 7 sixes] and Jetwing Travels’ Wageesha Balagama [100 not out in 62 balls with 7 fours and 7 sixes] were the highlights which WSO2 won by 31 runs.

An unbeaten 30 ball 60 [9 fours and 2 sixes] and 3-13 by Ahamed Rifad and a three wicket haul by Srimal Peiris helped Singer Sri Lanka B defeat Ceyline Holdings by ten wickets in the group B game at the MCA in the morning. In the Group E game played at the MCA in the afternoon Alaris Lanka overcame Acuity Analytics by 63 runs.

In an evening game played at De Mazenod College grounds Regnis Appliances, playing in group B of the tournament beat Synergen Health by five wickets with 5 balls to spare.

On Saturday:

At DS Senanayake College ground :

Achala, Asela propel CIC Holdings to a 113 run win

Brief scores:

CIC Holdings

212/6 in 20 overs [N Danushan 35, Eranga Madushan 24, Achala Jayalath 75, T Innoshan 62; Chathura Maurice 2-50, Hishara Mudalige 1-17, Kalpa Gamage 1-31]

LSEG

99/10 in 16.2 overs [Rishane Liyanage 27, Kalpa Gamage 17, Nuwan Amarasinghe 18, Gangul Ediriwickremasooriya 21; Suranga Jayasuriya 1-25, Eranga Madushan 1-07, N Danushan 2-11, R M Aravinda 1-15, Asela Priyadarshana 4-14]

VS Information Systems win by 30 runs

Brief scores:

VS Information Systems

136/8 in 20 overs [Kisal Ranathunga 27, Chamath Chamupathi 36, Shamilka Wickrematilake 45, Nimnada Kirindage 11; Sanindu Deshan 1-28, Ravindu Subashana 3-22, Kanishka Eshan 2-22, Isuru Lakshan 1-28]

Inqube Globa

l 106/9 in 20 overs [Yasintha Lakshan 14, Suresh Madushanka 27, Kanishka Eshan 14, Kasun Lakshitha 11; Chamath Chamupathi 2-16, Kasun Bandara 1-17, Shan Aniketh 2-23, Nimnada Kirindage 1-24]

At Dharmapala College Grounds Pannipitiya

MAS Active Kreeda defeated Synergen Health by six wickets with 14 balls remaining

Brief scores:

Synergen Health

135/9 in 20 overs [Ridma Ranathunga 41, Chamath Liyanage 13, Pubudu Roopasinghe 35, Chanul Gawaramanna 17; Sivakumar Partheepan 3-21, Anju Amaradasa 4-22, Chamath Sumithraarachchi 2-21]

MAS Active Kreeda

138/4 in 17.4 overs [Jineetha Malith 62*, Adeesha Miyusara 21, Sivakumar Partheepan 26*; Chanul Gawrawamanna 2-19, Mahesh Wijesinghe 1-16, Noor Aslam 1-19]

On Sunday:

At Darley Road

Emar Pharma beat LOLC Insuarance by 88 runs

Brief scores:

Emar Pharma

216/4 in 20 overs [Deshan Fernando 93, Amitha Dabare 48, Dushyantha Darshana 10, Devinda Ayesh 39*; Dinesh Chathurang 1-32, M Z Osman 2-27]

LOLC Insuarance

128/10 in 19 overs [Tharindu Mohan 15, Dinesh Chathuranga 16, M Z Osman 21, Deneth Nissanka 33; DeshanFernando 2-27, Amitha Dabare 4-33, Kurusamy Than Lakshan 1-08, Pathumanabahan Sujeedaran 1-11, Chandana Dodangoda 1-13]

WSO2 overcome Jetwing Travels in High scoring game

Brief scores:

WSO2

205/5 in 20 overs [Shivanga Ranasuriya 21, Kaveesha Rajapaksa 35, Devin Jayasinghe 103*, Dev Wijewardena 24*; Sanjeew Prasanna 1-37, Shehan Dinuka 1-23, Wageesha Balagama 1-30, Tharindu Almeida 2-41]

Jetwing Travels

174/8 in 20 overs [Thanuka Peiris 19, Wageesha Balagama 100*, Shehan Dinuka 11; Dev Wijewardena 1-20, Shan Anjana 2-10, Osanda Herath 1-34, Shivanga Ranasuriya 1-07, Rakitha Rupasinghe 1-41, Dimuthu Madushan 2-23]

At MCA grounds,

Singer Sri Lanka crush Ceyline Holdings by 10 wickets

Brief scores:

Ceyline Holdings

99/10 in 18.4 overs [Tharindu Munasinghe 14, VKS Kithmina 16, Chameera Manamperi 12; Prashan Weerawarna 2-22, Roshan Derling 1-14, Ahamed Rifad 3-13, Sajitha Sanjeewa 1-07, Srimal Peiris 3-16]

Singer Sri Lanka B –

100/0 in 8.4 overs [Sheyal Vithanage 36*, Ahamed Rifad 60*]

Alaris Lanka overcome Acuity Analytics by 63 runs

Brief scores:

Alaris Lanka 210/6 in 20 overs [Sameera Perera 91, Sruhan Anuruddika 44, Lakshitha Peiris 35, Sameera Rukshan 15, Chiran Vishmitha 17*; Gajendran Shanmugarasa 1-35, Pranavan Premarajah 3-34, Sudaraka Keshara 1-29]

Acuity Analytics

147/7 in 20 overs[Nadeera Ranathunga 11, Nakrushan Chithrasenan 15, Gajendran Shanmugarasa 61*, Lashika Alakumbura 20, Sudaraka Keshara 13; Asuntha Indika 3-16, Lakshitha Peiris 1-22, Priyanka Pradeep 2-26, Mahesh Devapriya 1-33]

At De Mazenod College grounds

Regnis Appliances by five wickets

Brief scores:

Synergen Health

138/9 in 20 overs [Ridma Ranathunga 12, Hansaka Chandrasiri 20, Chamath Liyanage 13, Chanul Gawrammana 26, S Thuwargashan 17, Shanilka Uggalpitiya 16; Tharanga Dammika 3-23, Nimesh Madushanka 1-20, Asela Sanjeewa 2-27, Gaveen Yatawara 1-26, Banuka Gunawardena 1-07]

Regnis Appliances

139/5 in 19.1 overs [Gaveen Yatawara 16, Yasiru Sandaruwan 18, Imalka Fernando 34*, Pubudu Mendis 46; Dinesh Dewanarayana 1-17, Chanul Gawarammana 1-20, Isuru Weerasinghe 1-19]

[PDES]