Alex Hales believed his chances of competing at a World Cup were over, yet is now on the verge of T20 glory with England.

Hales, who was called up in place of the injured Jonny Bairstow for the T20 World Cup, has been superb for England in Australia and, alongside captain Jos Buttler, delivered a remarkable batting display against India on Thursday.

England's openers put on an unbeaten partnership of 170 – a T20 World Cup record – to claim a resounding 10-wicket victory in Thursday's semi-final at the Adelaide Oval.

It tees up a final against Pakistan at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on Sunday.

Hales lost his place in the England set-up after testing positive for a recreational drug in 2019, yet the 33-year-old has made the most of his comeback, with his 86 not-out in Adelaide including 11 boundaries, seven of which were sixes.

"It would be right up there, for sure," replied Hales when asked if it was the perfect performance.

"A huge occasion, India in a semi-final of the World Cup – really happy with how I played, as special as it gets.

"This is one of the best venues to bat at in the world, especially in the powerplay, good value for shots, small and square boundaries and a ground I've got good memories at.

"I never thought I'd play in a World Cup again, so to get the chance is a special feeling, in a country I love and where I've spent a lot of time. It's one of the best nights of my career."

Hales became the third England batter, after Buttler and former captain Eoin Morgan, to reach 2,000 runs in the shortest format.

England did not have it all their own way, however, with a late flurry from Hardik Pandya, who plundered 63 from 33 balls, propelling India to a seemingly competitive 168-6 - Virat Kohli (50) had previously become the first batsman to reach 4,000 runs in T20Is.

Yet India never gained any momentum with the ball, and England skipper Buttler, who scored 80 and hit a huge six to round off the win, hailed an outstanding display from his team, who lost to Ireland in their second match of the tournament to leave them with plenty of work to do to get out of Group 1.

"Certainly does feel a long time ago, which is great," Buttler said of the Ireland match. "The character we've shown as a group ever since that moment, coming into a huge game against New Zealand and getting to this point to put in our best performance so far.

"We always wanted to start as fast as we can and be really aggressive – Adil Rashid was down to come in at number 11 today and that's an incredibly long batting line-up, it gives you a lot of freedom when you start out to know you have such depth.

"It's important to enjoy this, it was a brilliant performance. We can reflect on this and enjoy it, and of course we know there's one big task to go."

Of Hales, Buttler said: "He was so tough to bowl at, he used the dimensions of the ground incredibly well.

"We probably complement each other quite nicely, different players, different styles and he's shown fantastic form in the last few matches and he was a brilliant partner."

Chris Jordan played for the first time in the tournament due to Mark Wood's injury, and stepped up with figures of 3-43.

"I think I have to give special praise to Chris, coming into this game having not played and I asked an incredibly tough thing of him to do, to bowl three overs at the death," Buttler added.

"Against a set batsman like Hardik who's one of the best in those situations in the world, he handled it incredibly well."

Alex Hales and Jos Buttler delivered an exceptional batting display as England cruised into the T20 World Cup final with a 10-wicket defeat of India.

Hales (86 not out) and Buttler (80 not out) put on a T20 World Cup record partnership of 170 on Thursday to claim an emphatic victory and tee up a showdown with Pakistan.

England elected to field first at the Adelaide Oval and had India tied up at 75-3 inside 11.2 overs, Adil Rashid (1-20) clinching the key wicket of in-form Suryakumar Yadav (14).

India dug deep as Virat Kohli, who had previously scored five centuries in Adelaide, became the first player to hit 4,000 T20I runs and Hardik Pandya exploded at the other end to guide them to 168-6.

Kohli was dismissed just after making 50, caught brilliantly by Rashid from the bowling of Chris Jordan, who took 3-43 on his return in Mark Wood's absence.

Hardik picked up the slack in the final few overs, with his wonderful 63 from 33 deliveries coming to an end when he stood on his own wickets from the last ball of the innings.

Yet any India momentum was swiftly halted as Buttler and Hales bludgeoned their way to 63 by the end of the powerplay.

Hales then found another gear, rattling to a 28-ball 50, and India had no answer to England's on-song openers.

Buttler, having smacked a huge six down the ground, was dropped by Yadav, with the ball trickling to the boundary to compound India's misery, and England had a place in the final secured with four overs to spare when their captain sent Mohammed Shami for six to wrap up an outstanding win.

Hales' comeback complete

It has been a long road back for Hales, who was banned after testing positive for a recreational drug in 2019. 

Having replaced the injured Jonny Bairstow for this tournament, Hales has been sensational in Australia and on Thursday turned in one of the all-time great performances to make up for lost time. He became the third England player, after Jos Butler, and Eoin Morgan, to register 2,000 T20I runs.

Buttler brilliance sets up MCG rematch

While Kohli and Hardik let loose late on, Buttler's captaincy must be lauded, with England having limited their opponents for much of their innings.

Buttler, now onto 19 T20I half-centuries, then delivered with the bat, fittingly finishing the job with a sublime shot.

After falling short in the semi-finals against New Zealand last year, England will face Pakistan in Melbourne, 30 years on from a World Cup final between the nations at the same venue.

Wicketkeeper-batsman Jahmar Hamilton's run-a-ball half century lifted the Leewards Islands to a 4-wicket win over the West Indies Academy in the CG INSURANCE SUPER50 CUP at North Sound on Wednesday.

Batting first, resilient lower order batting from Joshua James, who scored an in innings high 73 from 77, led the Windies Academy to 211 all-out after a few problems at the top order.  Middle order batsman Ackeem Auguste also made an important contribution.  Auguste added 44 from 53 deliveries after coming to the crease with the team struggling at 78 for 5.

Importantly, together James and Auguste added 78 for the 8^th wicket.  Spinner Kofi James was the leading bowler for the Leewards, after claiming figures of 4 for 39.

In response, Kieran Powell and Keacey Carty put 44 on the board for the third wicket, as they looked to recover from the early loss of Ross Powell in the second over.  Neither really carried on from good starts though, and the team also lost Terance Ward, for 12, when he was dismissed lbw by Nyeem Young.  Hamilton’s appearance at the crease, however, settled things and Leewards coasted to 213 for 6 with 23 balls remaining.  The batsman was just 9 runs short o a 7th irst lass hundred.  Joshua Bishop led the way with the ball for the West Indies Academy after picking up 2 for 29.

Virat Kohli became the first batsman to reach 4,000 runs in the shortest format as he racked up a classy half-century in India's T20 World Cup semi-final against England.

The India star and former captain produced yet another important innings for his country as the tournament's leading run-scorer added 50 to his tally at the Adelaide Oval.

That took him to 296 at this World Cup and 4,008 in all T20Is, well ahead of nearest rival and India team-mate Rohit Sharma (3,853).

Kohli ran two to get his fourth 50 in this tournament but was then caught brilliantly by Adil Rashid next ball, with India posting 168-6 as Hardik Pandya plundered 63 off 33 deliveries.

India can be proud of their T20 World Cup run, regardless of the result against England in Thursday's semi-final, so says captain Rohit Sharma.

The two teams will battle it out on Thursday at the Adelaide Oval for the opportunity to take on Pakistan in the final at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on Sunday.

India finished top of Group 2, and have key players in form heading into the clash with England, who claimed second place in Group 1 at Australia's expense.

In his first major tournament in charge, Rohit believes India must be satisfied with their progress, as they target a third appearance in a T20 World Cup final.

He said in a press conference: "For us as players, as a team, I think we can pride ourselves to be here at this point in time because we saw two of the quality teams which were knocked out, and anything can happen in this format.

"For us, I think to be here at this point in time, I think we can take a lot of credit and pride ourselves in where we have come."

Two of the key batters for India in this tournament have been Virat Kohli and Suryakumar Yadav. 

Former captain Kohli is 42 runs away from becoming the first batter to register 4,000 runs in men's T20I cricket and is the leading run-scorer in the tournament with 246 runs.

Meanwhile, Yadav impressed against Zimbabwe with his fearlessness and creative shot selection in a brilliant 61 not out off just 25 deliveries.

"He's the sort of guy who just doesn't carry any baggage with him," Rohit said of Yadav.

"You can see that when he plays. It's not like he's played a couple of tournaments like that. He's been playing like that for a year now, and it shows, and you can judge the kind of character he is, and he likes to play like that.

"He's shown great maturity, as well, has taken pressure from a lot of the guys the way he plays, and it rubs off on the other side, as well, when they bat around him."

Overcoming Yadav and Kohli will be crucial if England are to progress, but dismissing the pair could prove even more difficult should Mark Wood, who is an injury concern, be unable to play.

Chris Jordan could fill in, while Sam Curran has stepped up, having taken 10 wickets in the tournament and with one more the 24-year-old would become the most successful English bowler in a single edition of the T20 World Cup.

Captain Jos Buttler knows that in Yadav, England face one of the world's most dangerous players.

"I think he's someone who has probably been the batter of the tournament so far in terms of the way you want to watch someone go about it," he said.

"I think his biggest strength looks to be the amount of freedom he plays with. He's obviously got all the shots, but he allows himself to play all the shots, as well. He's got a very free mindset from what I can see.

"But as with any batsman in the world, it takes one chance to create a wicket. We desperately need to find a way to do that, and it would be remiss just to think about him. I think they have some other excellent players, as well."

England will be looking to overturn their poor form against India in recent fixtures, with just one win in their last five T20I meetings.

New Zealand captain Kane Williamson says defeat to Pakistan is "a tough pill to swallow" following his side's seven-wicket loss in the T20 World Cup semi-finals in Sydney.

The Black Caps suffered another piece of knockout stage heartbreak in a major tournament after they were chased down at the Sydney Cricket Ground with five balls to spare.

Following defeat in last year's T20 World Cup final to Australia, it marks the latest shortfall for New Zealand in competition cricket, having also been edged in the 2019 World Cup final by England in the 50-over format.

Williamson had no qualms in saying their opponents were the better side on the day, Pakistan reaching a target of 153, but after another missed opportunity he acknowledged it was a hard loss to take.

"I thought Pakistan played nicely and then we managed to wrestle back some momentum," he said after Mohammad Rizwan (57) and Babar Azam (53) ended his side's chances.

"We were put under pressure early, they bowled really well.

"It was thanks to an unbelievable knock from Daryl Mitchell we got some momentum back. At halfway, we thought it [152-4] was a competitive total because we knew the pitch was a used surface - it was tough.

"But it's really disappointing to not make Pakistan work harder for those runs. They were absolutely outstanding and credit has to go to them.

"It is a tough pill to swallow. Babar and Rizwan put us under pressure but if we are honest with ourselves, we should have been more disciplined.

"They deserved to be the winners of that game.

"We have played a lot of good cricket, we have stuck to what has given us a lot of success, but today we weren't at our best. We know the fickle nature of T20 cricket."

Pakistan captain Babar Azam urged his side to relish the moment after reaching their first T20 World Cup final in 13 years with victory over New Zealand.

A wonderful opening stand of 105 from the skipper and Mohammad Rizwan (57) guided them to a seven-wicket victory over the Black Caps in the first semi-final in Sydney, as they successfully chased down 153.

It sends Pakistan into the tournament's showpiece game for the first time since 2009, when they defeated Sri Lanka by eight wickets at Lord's to lift the trophy for the first and only time in their history.

Having sneaked into the semi-finals thanks to a shock South Africa collapse against the Netherlands in Group 2, Babar's side could now go all the way - and he says they will celebrate their achievement justly.

"We will enjoy this moment, but at the same time we will focus on the final," Babar said after scoring 53 from 42 balls.

"The way the team performed in the last three matches [has been incredible]. Thanks to the crowd, it feels like we are playing at home.

"We had a really good start with the first six overs, we knew our spinners could then come on later. We were happy to chase around 150.

"Then we had a plan before the chase to attack the first six overs, so we could get the momentum. We knew later on the other players could chip in.

"We don't know who we've got yet, so we will be watching tomorrow, but we have got a few days to get together and discuss that game."

Pakistan will await either India or England, who meet on Thursday in the second semi-final in Adelaide.

Pakistan's opening batters returned to form at the ideal moment as they propelled their side into the T20 World Cup final at New Zealand's expense.

Set a competitive target of 153 at the Sydney Cricket Ground on Wednesday, Pakistan claimed a seven-wicket triumph to tee up a meeting with England or sub-continental rivals India.

Their victory owed much to the work of Mohammad Rizwan and Babar Azam, who scored 57 and 53 respectively, with both openers finding form just when Pakistan needed them most.

Kane Williamson's 46 and an unbeaten 53 from Daryl Mitchell ensured New Zealand – runners-up to Australia in the United Arab Emirates last year – were in with a chance, as they reached 152-4 in their 20 overs, with Shaheen Shah Afridi (2-24) the pick of Pakistan's bowlers.

Matters might have been much different had Devon Conway taken the chance to send Babar packing with the first ball Pakistan's captain faced, only to drop the catch.

Babar took full advantage, and it was the 13th over – with Pakistan having reached 105 – before he fell to Trent Boult (2-33), though Rizwan chipped his way to a half-century.

Boult claimed another vital wicket when Rizwan picked out Glenn Phillips in the deep, though the damage was already done - the stage set for Mohammad Haris (30) to lash Lockie Ferguson for two boundaries, the second of which was a huge six that put Pakistan well ahead of the required run rate.

Haris clipped to Finn Allen at the end of the penultimate over, yet Shan Masood had no nerves in the first ball of the final over as he sent Pakistan into their first World Cup final since 2007, when they were beaten by India.

Captain's knock from Babar

Pakistan looked to be staring down the barrel of an early exit from the tournament last weekend, but South Africa's shock defeat to the Netherlands handed them a chance. Now, they will go for glory in the tournament's showpiece match.

While Rizwan had started to find his form again in the later Group 2 matches, Babar had accumulated only 39 runs across the tournament prior to Wednesday, but he delivered when it mattered this time out, hitting seven fours in his 42-ball knock.

Fielding lets New Zealand down

What might have been for the Black Caps, who will have to lick their wounds again after also coming so close in 2021.

They put down three great opportunities throughout Pakistan's innings, including Ish Sodhi's late drop of Haris. New Zealand have now lost three of their T20 World Cup semi-finals, while they have lost five of their last six meetings with Pakistan in the format.

Following the ICC Hall of Fame announcement on November 8, 2022, open letters have been written to the inductees by those close to them, with their reactions to the news.

Here, Jimmy Adams writes to Shivnarine Chanderpaul.

To Shiv,

It was nearly three decades ago that I got to share a room with a 19-year-old from Guyana who I am proud to say became a great batting partner, roommate, friend, and now ICC Hall of Fame member.

I am thrilled that you are getting the recognition for everything you did for cricket in the West Indies and globally. I am not sure I ever met someone who worked harder at their craft, and it is testament to that work and sacrifice that even as the team’s fortunes met challenges, you got better and better.

I still remember the first time I heard your name. We were told about this young kid from Guyana, thin as a pencil, not the strongest but who nobody could get out.

When they picked you as a teenager for that Test in England in 1994, it raised eyebrows, my own included. I had never seen you play and there was a sense that you had jumped the queue. Two decades and more than 10,000 Test runs later, it is fair to say, the selectors got it right on that occasion.

We were roommates for most of my career from that tour onwards and as well as the trust that developed over that time, it’s fair to say you taught me a lot both about cricket as well as life in general.

I think the biggest lesson is that there are no excuses. I look at how you got to the top and stayed there for as long as you did despite all the challenges you faced. You are a symbol to kids from difficult backgrounds that anything, including greatness, is possible. I’ve spoken to many youngsters who held you up as a role model and who believed that “If Shiv could do it, I can do it.”

I hold you up as the example of what can be - the possibilities that exist. You opened my mind up to the fact that if you get a young kid who is willing and tries, never ever put a ceiling on him/her. We all knew you were talented, but if you had said 10,000 Test runs over 20 years...!!!! That happened because you adapted and kept adapting and kept working. If you ran into an obstacle, you would seek help and would grow. No one gave you that attitude, its something you brought with you wherever you went. Watching you grow and evolve over the past 30 years has cemented some of my own life philosophies on who, when and where to invest my own time and energies. Again, I am truly grateful for these lessons.

Your numbers are outrageous, and lots of people will focus on them. But what resonates with me is just how much it took me firstly to get to the international stage and secondly how much it needed for me to hang around for 10 years. You did it for 20!!! The effort and the sacrifice just boggle my mind!

It is hard to quantify just how great your legacy is. You started in a winning team, and along with Brian Lara, as the team became less formidable, your personal contributions got greater and greater. It was a reminder that you can even rise above the fortunes of any group if you work hard enough. It is easy to ride on the bandwagon of a successful team, but you were able to set impossibly high standards and maintain them even as the rest of the team struggled.

It was amazing watching, not only your cricket maturing, but you as a person. From a shy, introverted teenager, you grew into someone who would go on to become captain of the team. Where many others have chosen to hide deficiencies and flaws behind their on-field success, you from a very young age, confronted yours and invested the time in your personal development. Watching this transformation from close-up was truly inspirational.

You had so many truly memorable knocks over the years that I might struggle to say which one, for me, stands shoulders above the rest. However, the greatest standout for me is simply the fact that you “sat at the table” for 20 years!!

Having said that, if I have to pick out one, it is impossible not to mention the 69-ball hundred against Australia at your home ground in Guyana. I was not in the team by that point but watched all of it from a studio in the UK. The innings resonates with me simply because it was proof to me that there was far more to you and your game than the world, and maybe even you, gave yourself credit for.

I stand in awe of what you did over 20 years of international cricket. People will never understand how difficult it is. As a batting partner, you made it easier for all of us. For me, knowing that I had a rock at the other end just took away a lot of the pressure and allowed me to focus totally on my own game. I'm sure many others who had the opportunity to bat with you will say the same.

I hope this award justifies to you the value of the sacrifices you made from day one. And I know this award is not just for you. I think of your family – your father and uncles who were always willing to bowl to you for hours and hours in those early years. No doubt this award will, in part, recognize them and the rest of your family as well.

I know I speak for many fans of the game, who will be pleased that you are being officially recognized for your immense contribution not just to West Indies cricket, but to world cricket as well.

Well done my friend.

Jimmy

The Jamaica Scorpions moved to second in Zone B of the CG Insurance Super50 Cup after a five-wicket win over the Barbados Pride at the Sir Vivian Richards Cricket Stadium in Antigua on Tuesday.

The Pride won the toss and batted first, posting 176 all out in 45.5 overs. Captain Shai Hope top-scored with 49 as Jamaica dominated the proceedings with spin with Dennis Bulli (3-31 from 10 overs), Jeavor Royal (3-33 from 10 overs) and Peat Salmon (2-26 from 7.5 overs) all bowling well.

The Scorpions were then able to avoid a repeat of their collapse against the West Indies Academy in their previous game and successfully reach 177-5 off 45.1 overs to get their second win of the season. Both wins have come against Barbados.

Brandon King top-scored for the Jamaicans with 41 while Chadwick Walton got 37 and Andre McCarthy got 31 against 2-26 off nine overs from Camarie Boyce.

The Scorpions are now second in Zone B with eight points from four games, two points ahead of Barbados in third and two behind leaders Leeward Islands Hurricanes.  

Ben Stokes is backing England to improve on their group-stage performances when they face India in a "do or die" T20 World Cup semi-final.

Stokes' unbeaten 42 helped England to a four-wicket win over Sri Lanka on Saturday, ensuring they progressed from Group 1 after bouncing back from their below-par start to the tournament.

Things looked bleak for Jos Buttler's team when they slipped to a shock defeat against Ireland in their second group game, while they were also forced to endure a nervy finish against Sri Lanka after losing five wickets in the space of just seven overs.

However, Stokes expects England to produce a more polished display in Adelaide on Thursday, saying: "We had a few up and down moments in the group stages, but we can forget about those now. 

"We know if we execute anywhere near where we want to be then we will be a very hard team to beat.

"We're in a position now that it's do or die. What I don't think anyone will do is take a backward step. 

"We talk a lot about how we want to play when it comes to the pressure moments, and what we'll see here is us trying to deliver on what we talk about, not taking the cautious option."

Stokes was part of the England team that beat India en route to being crowned ODI world champions in 2019, and he thinks Buttler's side must replicate the approach they adopted in that win.

"It's the way we went out and played that game, rather than looking at the result, just look at the mindset and mentality," Stokes said.

"We didn't take a backward step, so I think we can take a lot of confidence, knowing that if we go in with a similar mindset then hopefully, we'll do alright."

Meanwhile, Stokes says England will trust the advice of security consultant Reg Dickason as they prepare for a red-ball tour of Pakistan next month, with the build-up to that visit being overshadowed by a gun attack on Imran Khan.

"Obviously what happened last week was a bit of a shock to see," Stokes said. "But Reg has been out there. He's the best man to assess the situation.

"Whatever Reg comes back with, the players and the people going out on that tour 100 per cent trust him, because he's a man you trust with your life."

West Indies cricket legend Shivnarine Chanderpaul was announced as one of the new members of International Cricket Council’s (ICC) Hall of Fame on Tuesday afternoon in Australia (Monday night Caribbean Time).

He has joined the list of fellow cricketing icons who have received this prestigious honour. The ICC announced Chanderpaul will be joined in the Hall of Fame by Pakistan legendary leg-spinner Abdul Qadir and England trailblazer Charlotte Edwards.

The left-handed Chanderpaul played at the international level for over to two decades and is among the leading run-scorers in the game’s history. He made his Test debut in 1994 at age 19 against England at Bourda in his native Guyana. He played 164 Test matches – the most by a West Indian – and scored 11,867 runs at an average of 51.37, which included 30 centuries.

He also played 268 One-Day Internationals and made 8,778 runs with 11 centuries at an average of 41.60; while in 22 T20 Internationals he made 343 runs. His first-class career was outstanding with 27,545 runs in 385 matches at an average of over 53. He had 77 centuries including a career-best of 303 not out for Guyana against Jamaica.

Cricket West Indies (CWI) President and ICC Director, Ricky Skerritt, paid tribute to Chanderpaul.

“On behalf of all West Indies cricket stakeholders, I congratulate Shivnarine ‘Shiv’ Chanderpaul for receiving the highest honor of his career to date. Shiv’s story exemplifies all that is good about him and the game of cricket – his hard work, commitment, adaptability and his resulting growth and achievements on and off the field. His love for the game is unmatched, and he demonstrated throughout his two decades on the field that he was the man for all seasons.”

“From the early days in the Under-19 set-up in Guyana shiv showcased his immense batting talent. He honed his skills and worked tirelessly to become the number 1 ranked batsman in the world. He embodied the statement ‘heights of great men reach and kept were not attained by sudden flight’. Shiv toiled hard to improve and at every stage was able to re-invent his game to meet the demands. We salute Shiv for his immense contribution to West Indies cricket and world cricket.”

Chanderpaul said: “It’s an amazing honour to follow the footsteps of many legends and so many other great cricketers of the past. I’m grateful for the recognition and would like to enjoy the moment with family, friends and most importantly the West Indies cricket fans and fans around the world who passionately supported me throughout my career.”

West Indians previously inducted into The ICC Hall of Fame: Sir Curtly Ambrose, Sir Learie Constantine, Joel Garner, Lance Gibbs, Sir Gordon Greenidge, Sir Wes Hall, the Most Hon. Desmond Haynes, George Headley, Michael Holding, Rohan Kanhai, Brian Lara, Sir Clive Lloyd, Malcolm Marshall, Sir Viv Richards, Sir Andy Roberts, Sir Garry Sobers, Courtney Walsh, Sir Clyde Walcott, Sir Everton Weekes, Sir Frank Worrell.

Kane Williamson lavished praise on New Zealand's "outstanding" bowling attack as they prepare to face Pakistan in the first T20 World Cup semi-final on Wednesday.

The Blacks Caps qualified for the last four as Group 1 winners, winning three matches and only suffering one defeat against England.

Beaten by Australia in the final in Dubai last year, the consistent Black Caps once again find themselves challenging for another trophy.

New Zealand have never won the T20 World Cup but have a great chance to put the heartbreak of the 2021 final behind them in Australia.

Trent Boult, Tim Southee, Mitchell Santner, Lockie Ferguson and Ish Sodhi have all shown their quality with the ball for the Black Caps.

Captain Williamson knows he is lucky to have such a strong attack.

He said: "They're experienced players for us. They've played for us a long time, whether that's taking wickets or, in particular, adjusting to conditions which certainly we need them to come to tournaments, world events, that's a big part of playing.

"So they've been outstanding throughout this tournament. And tomorrow we're at another venue against another opposition, and we'll have to make those adjustments again."

Pakistan sneaked into the semi-finals thanks to the Netherlands' shock defeat of South Africa after Babar Azam's side beat Bangladesh.

Williamson knows how dangerous Pakistan can be as they prepare for a showdown at the Sydney Cricket Ground, with the winners facing England or India.

"They've got an outstanding pace attack. They've been playing really good cricket. They've got very experienced players on their side, who are match-winners. So, that's a real strength for them," the batter said.

Pakistan beat New Zealand in a tri-series final last month and have won four of the past five matches between the two sides in the shortest format.

Afridi firing on all cylinders 

Shaheen Shah Afridi has demonstrated why Pakistan were so eager for him to return to full fitness for this tournament after a spell out with a knee injury.

The left-arm paceman looked understandably rusty at the start of the Super 12 stage, but played a huge part in seeing Pakistan through by claiming 3-14 in a win over South Africa and 4-22 in the victory over the Tigers.

Afridi takes some stopping when he is at his hostile best and New Zealand's openers will need to try and see him off when he charges in with the new ball.

Babar due to show his brilliance

Pakistan have been able to count on captain Babar time and again with the bat, but he had not reached double figures before making 25 against Bangladesh.

The prolific skipper never tends to go long without a significant score and it would be no surprise if he delivers on the big stage in Sydney.

Run machine Babar averages an impressive 41.39 in T20Is, with a strike rate of 127.98.

The Guyana Harpy Eagles got their third win in four games in the CG Insurance Super50 Cup with a 61-run win over the Windward Islands Volcanoes at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy in Trinidad & Tobago on Monday.

After winning the toss and choosing to bat first, the Harpy Eagles were restricted to just 190 all out off 43 overs.

Openers Anthony Bramble (60) and Tagenarine Chanderpaul (30) put on a partnership of 93 before they were both dismissed in the 18^th over. The only other batsmen to reach double figures were Shimron Hetmyer with 37 and Kevin Sinclair with 36 as Justin Greaves took 4-39 from eight overs for the Volcanoes.

Gudakesh Motie and Sherfane Rutherford then combined for six wickets to help restrict the Windwards to 129 all out in 38 overs.

Sunil Ambris (43) and Kavem Hodge (38) did the bulk of the scoring for the Windwards against Motie’s 3-31 off nine overs and Rutherford’s 3-25 off eight overs.

Guyana have now overtaken the Trinidad & Tobago Red Force at the top of Group A with 12 points from four games while the Windwards remain third on eight, two points behind T&T.

Dawid Malan is a major doubt for England's T20 World Cup semi-final against India on Thursday.

The batter suffered a groin injury while fielding in a victory over Sri Lanka on Saturday that saw England through to the last four.

Malan was unable to bat in that crucial win at the Sydney Cricket Ground and looks likely to miss the showdown with Rohit Sharma's side at the Adelaide Oval.

England all-rounder Moeen Ali told the BBC: "He [Malan] is a big player and has been for a number of years.

"He has been one of our best players. I don't know but it doesn't look great."

Phil Salt could come into the side if the former number one T20I batter in the world is ruled out.

England may also consider bringing in an extra bowler, with Chris Jordan, David Willey and Tymal Mills alternative options.

New Zealand face Pakistan in the first semi-final at the SCG on Wednesday.