Hosting nations final may be on the cards if Australia can get past a country who they dominated in the Summer.

At the hostile Sydney Cricket Ground it might favour spin, Australia should still have the advantage. They have been thoroughly efficient so far, losing only once in a pool thriller to New Zealand, who await the victors on Sunday. The impression is that there is still more to come.

Path to the Semi-Final

Australia came second in Pool A behind now-finalists New Zealand, Darren Lehmann’s side won four, lost one and had one no result due to rain. Following the group stage, Australia faced a tough opponent in the shape of Pakistan in the third Quarter Final. Pakistan were put into bat first and could only manage a shaky total of 213, Misbah-ul-Haq the highest scorer for them, JR Hazelwood the pick of the bowlers taking 4/35. The Aussies knocked off that total with ninety-three balls left with Steve Smith and Shane Watson the highest scorers scoring sixty-five and sixty-four respectively.

India stand in the way of the Aussies’ chance to play in the 2015 ICC World Cup Final. India faced tough opposition in Pool B but they made no mistake in the Pool stage winning six out of their possible six games. England’s conquerors Bangladesh were the next opponent for the Indians. It was the Indians elected to bat and they made no mistake notching up a healthy 302/6. Rohit hit a mammoth 137 from 126 smashing three sixes and fourteen fours on his way to his century, Suresh Raina also made it past fifty, he predominantly played his shots on the leg side making sixty-five. Bangladesh came in to bat after a poor bowling performance and they equalled that poor bowling performance with a poor batting one. Nassir Hossain was their highest scorer with thirty-five. Umesh Yadav was the pick of the bowlers with figures of 4/35.

Squads:

Michael Clarke (c), George Bailey, Pat Cummins, Xavier Doherty,  James Faulkner, Aaron Finch,  Brad Haddin (WK), Josh Hazelwood, Mitchell Johnson, Mitchell Marsh, Glenn Maxwell, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, David Warner, Shane Watson.

MS Dhoni (c/wk), Ravichandran Ashwin, Stuart Binny, Shikhar Dhawan, Ravindra Jadeja, Virat Kohli, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Mohammed Shami, Suresh Raina, Ambati Rayudu, Mohit Sharma, Rohit Sharma, Umesh Yadav.

Stats:

Batting Averages:

GJ Maxwell Innings: 5, Not Outs: 1, Runs: 301, High Score 102, 100’s: 1. 50’s: 2.

DA Warner Innings: 6, Not Outs: 1,  Runs: 288,  High Score: 178. 4’s: 30 6’s: 8.

SPD Smith Innings: 6, Not Outs: 0, Runs: 241 High Score: 95. 4’s: 23. 6’s: 2.

SR Watson Innings: 5,  Not Out: 1, Runs: 178, High Score: 67. 4’s: 20. 6’s: 3.

Bowling Averages:

MA Starc Matches: 6, Overs: 47.0, Maidens: 3, Runs 176, Wickets: 18.

JR Hazelwood Matches: 3, Overs: 24.5, Maidens: 2, Runs: 105, Wickets: 6.

JP Faulkner Matches: 4, Overs: 23.5, Maidens: 0, Runs: 102, Wickets: 4.

MG Johnson Matches: 6, Overs: 44.3, Maidens: 2, Runs 246, Wickets: 10.

Indian Batting Averages:

SK Raina Innings: 5, Not Outs: 1, Runs: 277, High Score: 110*, 4’s: 24, 6’s: 8.

V Kohli Innings: 7, Not Outs: 2, Runs: 304, High Score: 107, 4’s: 29, 6’s: 1.

MS Dhoni Innings: 5, Not Outs: 2, Runs: 172, High Score: 85*, 4’s: 15, 6’s: 4.

S Dhawan Innings: 7, Not Outs: 0, Runs: 367, High Score: 137, 4’s: 42 6’s: 8.

Indian Bowling Averages:

Mohammed Shami Matches: 6, Overs: 51.0, Maidens: 7, Runs: 226, Wickets: 17.

UT Yadav Matches: 7, Overs: 55.2, Maidens: 5, Runs: 249, Wickets: 14.

R Ashwin Matches: 7, Overs: 67.0, Maidens: 6, Runs: 288, Wickets 12.

MM Sharma Matches: 7, Overs: 53.0, Maidens: 4, Runs: 239, Wickets: 11.

Ground Sydney Cricket Ground:

Established: 1848

Capacity: 44,002

Bowling and Batting end names Paddington End, Randwick End

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