T20 World Cup: West Indies vs. Sri Lanka - 5 things to keep an eye out for

The West Indies take on the Sri Lankans in a high octane T20 World Cup semi-final clash at Mirpur, Bangladesh, on Thursday. I'm not going to go on and on about the usual 'Gayleforce' or 'Slinga Malinga'. This article focuses on the background factors which could turn the game on its head.

#1 Krishmar Santokie

Krishmar Santokie is an unorthodox medium pacer. He doesn't breathe fire like his Caribbean predecessors, but he has quite a few tricks up his sleeve. His spinning slower deliveries, swing bowling and slinging round-arm action can make batsmen bite the dust when they go on the attack. He has been pretty decent so far, picking up 6 wickets at an economy rate of 4.25. Can the Sri Lankans keep him at bay, or will they fall prey to the mystery? Only time will tell.

#2 Rangana Herath vs. Sunil Narine

The spinners have been instrumental in the success of these two teams. Rangana Herath seems to have peaked at the right time for the Lankans. His recent 5-wicket haul against New Zealand ensured them of a place in the semis. The Windies also have plenty of tricks up their sleeve, with the likes of Sunil Narine and Samuel Badree extremely good at what they do. Narine, in particular, has outfoxed even the best in the business with his variations. The spice of a knockout game should add extra flavour to this battle and make it an interesting one to watch.

#3 Marlon Samuels

Marlon Samuels is a time-bomb waiting to explode. With his explosive batting and economical bowling, he could tip things in favour of the West Indies. Everyone will be watching him with bated breath. Although he hasn't really got going in this tournament, history shows that he responds to pressure well. The Lankans will have to hatch a plan to keep this big man subdued; otherwise, the Windies could win this fixture at a canter.

#4 The Lankan batting trio

The Sri Lankan batting has revolved mainly around the experienced batting trio of Tillakaratne Dilshan, Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene. With this tourney being their last one in this format of the game, they will look to make it memorable. While Jayawardene and Dilshan have had relatively decent outings, Sangakkara has found it difficult to get going. The Sri Lankans rely heavily on these three, and their batting performances will hold the key to the Lankans.

#5 Battle of the pinch hitters

Both these teams have relied on last gasp performances to propel them to defendable totals. These acts of individual brilliance have come from the pinch hitters: Thisara Perera for the Lankans and Darren Sammy for the West Indies have taken the role in recent times. Darren Sammy's recent performances against Australia (34* off 13) and Pakistan (42* off 20) have shown that he is in prolific form and is raring to go. Thisara Perera, on the other hand, has had a quiet tournament but is capable of producing cameos that can take the game away from the opposition. They are the X-factors for their respective teams, and, unless sent back to the pavilion soon, it could all be over in a matter of seconds.