Sri Lanka v. West Indies Preview: Cricket World Cup Twenty20 Semifinal

Sri Lanka v West Indies

2009 Twenty20 Cricket World Cup

Semi-Final Match Preview

Friday 19th June, 2009 - The Brit Oval

Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka defeated New Zealand by 48 runs on Tuesday to qualify top of their Super Eights Group F.

Sri Lanka remain defeated in the tournament so far, winning five from five and defeating Australia, upcoming opponents West Indies, Pakistan, Ireland and New Zealand on their way to this semi-final meeting.

Tillakaratne Dilshan is the current Sri Lanka and tournament leading scorer, with 221 runs from five matches (a 44.2 average). Mahela Jayawardene is the team's second highest scorer with 151 runs from five matches (a 30.2 average).

From the bowling side, Lasith Malinga is Sri Lanka's best bowler and second best of the tournament with 11 wickets for 124 runs from 19 overs. Ajantha Mendis is the team's second best bowler, with figures of 10 wickets for 78 runs from 18 overs.

West Indies

West Indies beat England by five wickets on Monday to qualify for this semifinal meeting with Sri Lanka.

They have have won three and lost two of their five matches in the tournament, qualifying 2nd in their Super Eights E and 2nd in Group C.

West Indies' best batsman comes in the form of Dwayne Bravo, with 154 runs from four matches (a 38.5 average). Lendl Simmons is the team's second best batsman with 150 runs from four matches (a 37.5 run average).


The best bowler for the West Indies has also been Dwayne Bravo, with the all-rounder capping a brilliant tournament performance with figures of eight wickets for 123 runs from 14 overs.

Prediction

Earlier in the tournament, the Sri Lanka vs West Indies meeting resulted in a Sri Lanka victory by 15 runs. Since then, both teams have played impressively, with Sri Lanka remaining undefeated and the West Indies only falling at the hands of South Africa.

With the tournament leading scorer Dilshan, as well as the likes of Jayawardene and Jayasuriya in their batting arsenal, and the impressive bowling attack of Malinga and Mendis, the Sri Lanka side will likely prove too much for the talented West Indies team and enter the match as favourites to win.

Sri Lanka vs West Indies Prediction: Sri Lanka win

Read the complete match preview with the best online betting odds and markets for the match at the Sri Lanka vs West Indies odds and betting preview page now!

Then read our preview of Thursday's semi-final match at the South Africa vs Pakistan odds and betting page from Sports Betting Review.