India vs South Africa WT20 Second Semi Final Preview

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India vs South Africa WT20 Second Semi Final  will be played on 4th April, 2014 at the Sher-e Bangla stadium in Dhaka. The second WT20 semi-final between India and South Africa promises to be a thrilling encounter. Sri Lanka have already made it to yet another tournament final. Now,  the men in blue and the proteas will battle it out for a spot in the finals of the ICC WT20 2014.

Kohli vs Steyn

India vs South Africa WT20 Second Semi Final -INDIA

Team India have been in phenomenal touch with 4 dominating wins in their bag. Individual players like Amit Mishra, R Ashwin, Virat Kohli, Suresh Raina, Yuvraj Singh are in good touch. The best part of the tournament has been the emergence (or re-emergence) of trademark match winners. One blistering knock from Yuvraj Singh is more than enough to send jitters down the Proteas bowling line-up. Also, Mishra’s unplayable trajectories have made life more and more difficult for Team India’s opponents out there. However, the opening duo of Dhawan/Rahane and Rohit Sharma needs a bit of polishing.

Life at the ICC World T20 2014 has been easy for India. If we ignore the close defeat at the hands of the Lankans in the warm-up match, India has played like world champions. Without a doubt, they deserve the title more than anyone else. But the lack of any apt challenge means that the entire line-up has not been exposed to pressure situations yet. If Steyn & Co. can put the Indian batsmen under some sort of serious pressure during the India vs South Africa WT20 Second Semi Final, then the game might turn out to be more balanced.

It would be unfair to say that some outstanding bowling performance has helped India reach the semis. The bowlers did demolish most opponents but even the batsmen showed professionalism and registered emphatic victories. What stands out for the men in blue is the growing confidence of their uber cool captain MS Dhoni. Dhoni’s strategic inputs have always been instrumental for the team in winning matches as well as tournaments.

India vs South Africa WT20 Second Semi Final -SOUTH AFRICA

India vs South Africa WT20 Second Semi Final will be another nervous affair for the Proteas. The tag of being chokers will continue to haunt the talented set of individuals. When we talk about match winners, the Proteas have players who are know to turn the game upside down. During the India vs South Africa WT20 Second Semi Final, South Africa’s Dale Steyn will be the key. Steyn is known for his wizardry with the ball all over the world. One tight and destructive spell from Steyn can bring the Proteas back in business. South Africa have struggled to reach the semis and the dominance of India in ICC tournaments can only be overcome by some exciting performances from the Proteas camp. The likes of AB de Villiers, JP Duminy and Hashim Amla will have to be at their best.

The good news for South Africa is that star spinner Imran Tahir has already picked up 11 wickets in the four games so far. The India vs South Africa WT20 Second Semi Final will be a perfect opportunity for Tahir to cement his place in the side. Although Indian batsmen are good players of spin, some quality bowling can surely help slow down and/or restrict the Asian gaints.

India vs South Africa WT20 Second Semi Final -SUMMARY

HEAD TO HEAD India vs South Africa in World T20:

India: 3
South Africa: 1

India obviously handles sub-continent conditions better than their semi-final rivals. Besides this, the team is in great touch. India will look to win their second T20 World Cup. Whereas the Proteas would very much want to get rid of the haunting tag of being ‘chokers’. The winner of the India vs South Africa WT20 Second Semi Final meets Sri Lanka in the WT20 Final. Will it be another Asian battle at the finals? Or will South Africa surprise everyone and pep India for the finals? It will be an exciting, thrilling and nerve bending encounter. But will Virat Kohli let anyone else score? And will the Indian bowlers allow the opposition to get away? A lot in store for everyone at the India vs South Africa WT20 Second Semi Final.

Predictions are in full swing and this deserves the mention of an exciting app. Castrol’s Zip Factor app, developed by Castrol Activ Scooter, is here to engage and entertain. There’s an ardent cricket fan in all of us and Zip Factor caters to that fan. The app works in a very simple way. Two viral videos built the platform for Zip Factor’s introduction. Rahul Dravid’s googlies (yes Dravid’s googlies) regarding player stats were simply unplayable for veteran cricket commentator Harsha Bhogle. Harsha, however, makes a comeback and presents Zip Factor. The app is about cricket, stats and loads of fun and free goodies.

So you get the app and are all set to experience the very Zip Factor. A zippy experience indeed just like the format of T20 is, the app is sure to catch your attention. Is it addictive? Why do you ask? You are already a cricket addict. Let’s learn more about the app.

You nominate a player at the Zip Factor Player Predictor on each match day. You can nominate  a player before the start of the second innings of the match. The player will be awarded points based on his performance and if your player ends up with the highest points at the end of the match, then you get a chance to win free goodies. The Zip Factor Player of the Match is the player with the highest Zip Factor score. The points add up to give the players a Zip Factor score. The Zip Factor score helps in determining the zippiest player of the match. Along with the zippy contests, there’s a plethora of stats to be observed.

It is interesting to note that 30% of the top Zip Factor players are from the sub-continent. But currently only one Indian features in the top ten list with R Ashwin at No. 10 in the list. South Africa on the other hand can afford to have a zippy smile on their face with three Proteas players making it to the list of top ten Zip Factor players. Imran Tahir (ranked 5th) , JP Duminy (ranked 8th) and Dale Steyn (ranked 9th) feature in the list of top ten Zip Factor players as of now.

Check out the standings here