ICC World T20 2016: Semi-Final TV Schedule, Live Stream and Betting Odds
The semi-finals of the 2016 ICC World Twenty20 will see a stellar cast of game-changing cricketers seeking to push their respective sides one step closer to glory.
India, West Indies, England and New Zealand all have plenty of destructive players within their ranks, and that’ll make for engrossing viewing when the former pair and the latter duo face off in the last four. Each team enjoyed wonderful moments in the Super 10 group stages, paving the way for an enticing knockout phase.
With this double-header edging closer into view, here’s a look at how the bookmakers are seeing things. Also included are the key viewing details for this one and a closer look at a line worth backing in each of these contests.
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| Wednesday, Mar. 30 | 2:30 p.m. | England | New Zealand |
| Odds | 10/9 | 11/13 | |
| Thursday, Mar. 31 | 2:30 p.m. | India | West Indies |
| Odds | 1/2 | 83/41 |
Match odds and selected bets are accurate as of 12:15 p.m. (BST) on Tuesday, March 29 and courtesy of OddsChecker.
Matches are shown live on Sky Sports 2 and can be streamed via Sky Go.
Joe Root, Top England Batsman (5/2)
Whether it’s the frantic landscape of a 20-over international or the drawn out saga of a Test match, Joe Root is a player that’s now well versed in making the difference for this England team.
As we head into the semi-finals, the England man only trails India superstar Virat Kohli for runs scored in the tournament proper. Root arguably played the innings of the competition to date, though, as his magnificent 83 from 44 balls against South Africa helped England chase down 229 to win.
He’s shown many times that he’s the man for the big occasion, even pulling off a stunning catch against Sri Lanka with the game in the balance. Adam Catterall of talkSPORT was impressed:
Against New Zealand, expect another big contribution from the England talisman. On a wicket that will grip and suit the Black Caps' superb spin attack, Root, as an excellent player of the turning ball, will be looking to lead the way for his team.
It’s almost expected that he’ll step up with a sizeable knock here, whether setting a total or looking to chase down a New Zealand score. As he’s showcased in this tournament and the Ashes last summer, Root is a world-class player, and with 167 runs under his belt so far, expect him to notch a few more in an even game.
Ravichandran Ashwin, Top India Bowler (11/4)
Kohli has rightly grabbed a lot of the headlines when it comes to this India side, but with the ball in hand, Ravichandran Ashwin has been a typical model of consistency.
So often captain MS Dhoni throws the ball the way of the spinner when his team needs a wicket and Ashwin frequently delivers. That much was evident against Australia, when, after a blistering start from the batting side, he snaffled the dangerous David Warner.
As AltCricket noted, the manner in which he lured Warner down the pitch, beat the edge and had him stumped was pretty embarrassing for the batsman:
"Ashwin has just played Warner like a puppet-master toying with strings. #INDvsAUS
— Alt Cricket (@AltCricket) March 27, 2016"
That was one of only four wickets from four matches for Ashwin at the tournament; Hardik Pandya (five), Ashish Nehra (four) and Ravindra Jadeja (four) have all been just as prolific as we head into the semi-finals.
But watching the West Indies batting order toil against the modest spin options of Afghanistan in their last outing, a premier bowler like Ashwin should be able to get stuck into their lineup in the middle overs. As noted by HoldingWilleyCricket, the batting from the Caribbean side in that shock loss left much to be desired:
"Hey team West Indies, do you know that you can play the balls with a straight bat? #WT20 #WIvsAFG
— HoldingWilleyCricket (@holdingwilley) March 27, 2016"
The off-spinner is exceptional at slowing the scoring rate down and in the heat of a semi-final, doing that will lead to frustration in the batting side.
The West Indies, with the likes of Chris Gayle, Marlon Samuels, Dwayne Bravo and Andre Russell have a lot of players who are at their best when the ball is coming onto the bat at pace.
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