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First Semifinal

Lanka face West Indies today

Sports Reporter
Sri Lanka may lead the head-to-head record against West Indies by four games to one, but that one defeat - in the final of the 2012 T20 World Cup --in their own den must have been a
hard one to digest. Come this evening, the Lankans will get their opportunity to avenge that defeat and seal a spot in the finals. The task however, won't be an easy one as they face a high-flying West Indian side that have twice come from behind to beat the likes of Australia and Pakistan. The first women's semifinal will also take place at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium in Mirpur with Australia taking on the West Indies, in a repeat of 2012's knock-out game in Sri Lanka. Both teams finished with six points after the group stages and it too promises to be an exciting encounter.
The men's teams' journeys to the semis have been equally intense. Sri Lanka began by scoring a five-run win over South Africa and then routing the Netherlands for just 39. They batted well against England too and had it not been for a special century from Alex Hales, they would have confirmed a spot with a match in hand.
Instead they got themselves in a do-or-die position against New Zealand; a game they would have lost had it not been for Rangana Herath's heroics. The Lions, however, will be counting on that momentum generated from the win against the Black Gaps.
The West Indies have witnessed a similar terrain, having twice come back from the grasps of defeats. Their captain Darren Sammy has been their man-in-form, averaging an astonishing 101 in four matches. His hits at the death of the innings have almost single-handedly took the West Indies across.
In what is expected to be a battle between the spinners today, Sammy's hits, on a turning wicket in Mirpur, towards the end can prove to be a crucial aspect in the game. Spinners Samuel Badree and Sunil Narine will be the other players the team will be counting on. Badree, who has opened the bowling for them, has so far taken 10
wickets and has been an absolute killer upfront. Narine, who has so far bowled at an economy rate of 4.50, plugs in the runs later on.
The Lankans, on the other hand will be in a dilemma regarding their spin attack. While off-spinner Sachitra Senayanake will hold one end, whether it will be Herath or Ajantha Mendis from the other is an aspect that they might be dwelling upon.
The conditions in Chittagong, which saw plenty of dew in the evening and a bit of grass on the wicket, probably could have been the reason why they did not play Herath until the game against New Zealand, in Dhaka, with a friendlier outfield and a more turning wicket might be ideal for Herath's slow-left armers.
While the spin-attack may battle neck and neck, Sri Lanka's pacers though will have the edge over the West Indians. With the underrated Nuwan Kulasakera and the red-hot Lasith Malinga in their ranks, they might as well prove to be the key. Malinga might face the important job of restricting Sammy towards the end of the innings.
For the West Indies, it's been Krishmar Santokie's medium pacers that have been working out well so far.
Even the batting line up seems to be evened out with both sides having aggressive openers, a comparatively sober middle-order, and high-flying finishers. Come this evening, the semifinal contest could well be the best game that the tournament will have seen thus far.