England sweat on injuries as India await in blockbuster semi-final
Pant vs Karthik is India's major selection debate in a contest full of star-studded match-ups
Big picture
The self-anointed big boys of world cricket are going at it at the Adelaide Oval. The neutrals may struggle to pick a side, but one thing is certain - it will be a blockbuster occasion.
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Form guide
India WWLWW (last five completed T20Is, most recent first)
England WWLWW
In the spotlight
In a team of superstars, Suryakumar Yadav strides above them all as the man of this World Cup. No one has had a more profound effect on his team - and opponents - quite like this 32-year-old phenom equipped with more scoring options than Erling Haaland. The numbers he's posted so far - 225 at a strike rate of 193.96 - are remarkable, the strokeplay drawing admiration from all quarters, even AB de Villiers who is the only one that springs to mind when it comes to the consistent destruction this man is serving up. Can he be stopped?
Team news
The only debate for India is whether to play Rishabh Pant or Dinesh Karthik. Pant can upset Adil Rashid being a left-hand batter but Karthik is the finisher who can hit from ball one. Also Pant will have Moeen Ali's offspin to deal with. Going by India's training session, it looks like Karthik will play, having engaged in keeping drills while Pant did not. It is touch and go.
Pitch and conditions
Yes, this will be a used pitch, but it was last used on November 4 for the match between Australia and Afghanistan. The groundsman has assured Jos Buttler that he has had enough time to prepare what should not behave like a tired pitch. Buttler said: "I think having talked to the groundsman, his team is really confident that he's had a lot of time to get some really good work into the wicket. He seems very comfortable that it's going to be a really good surface and a consistent surface. At the moment I have no worries about the pitch."
Stats and trivia
- India have won their last four bilateral T20I series against England - two in England, two in India, all four by one-match margins.
- The two teams have not met at a T20 World Cup in this period, though. The last of their three meetings came in 2012, when a Rohit Sharma half-century and a four-wicket haul from Harbhajan Singh led India to a 90-run win in Colombo. In all, India have a 2-1 lead in T20 World Cup meetings.
- Virat Kohli needs 42 runs to become the first batter to 4000 in T20Is. Alex Hales, meanwhile, is 13 short of the 2000 mark.
Quotes
"These guys are quite dangerous. They've played some really good cricket in the tournament as well, which is why they're here. So we've got to be at our best to win the game."
India captain Rohit Sharma is taking nothing for granted.
Vithushan Ehantharajah is an associate editor at ESPNcricinfo