With the league stages of the ICC World Twenty20 completed, and after some surprise eliminations, attention now turns to the final four teams left in the competition - last year's finalists Sri Lanka face a charged-up England side on Thursday, and last year's champions Pakistan take on the dominating Australian team on Friday.
Sri Lanka are no strangers to semi-finals - World Cup champions in 1996, semi-finalists in 2003, finalists in 2007 and in 2009. However, while they were the form team in 2009, they have been patchy this time around: Mahela Jayawardene is the only batsman who has looked comfortable at the crease, but even he failed to establish himself in his team's last two games. Sanath Jayasuria has had a miserable time, unable to make an impact any of the times he batted. Fortunately for them, Kumar Sangakkara and Tillekeratne Dilshan seem to have found their form after indifferent starts to the tournament, and Angelo Mathews and Chamara Kapugedera have stood up for their team when it mattered, creating an invaluable partnership in a tight, crucial game against India. Lasith Malinga has led the bowling, supported well by Mathews, Thissara Perera and Suraj Randiv, while Sri Lanka have to do without Muttiah Muralitharan. Ajantha Mendis has been decoded by most of his opponents, but England haven't seen too much of him. On a slow and turning St. Lucia pitch, he might be key in restricting England's batsmen.
Not too many people would have put money on England qualifying for the semi-finals over South Africa (who they defeated) or India (who they probably would have beat had they faced each other). But thanks to the lusty hitting of Craig Kieswetter, Michael Lumb, Kevin Pietersen and Eoin Morgan, England find themselves with a team that can take them to global glory. Kieswetter and Lumb have had solid tournaments thus far, while Morgan has been exemplary. Pietersen returns to the team boosted after witnessing the birth of his first child, and England will hope that his attacking form has not been compromised by the break. Paul Collingwood hasn't changed a game yet, but he remains an important player with his batting, bowling and fielding. Tim Bresnan and Ryan Sidebottom have led the charge with the bowling, but their movement, pace and bouncers might be negated by the St. Lucia pitch, where India and Sri Lanka both fought for every run they could get. That might be where Graeme Swann comes in to play - Sri Lanka haven't seen too much of him, and if he can extract any turn off the wicket, he will be dangerous.
My call for the game is England - by a hair. They've been far more consistent, cohesive and on-song than Sri Lanka, who lost to New Zealand, were unconvincing against Zimbabwe, comfortably beat the West Indies, destroyed by Australia and edged a last-ball victory against India. England looked shaky only twice, once against Ireland and in a dead rubber against New Zealand, and will be on a high following their impressive victory against South Africa. That momentum will work in England's favor, whereas Sri Lanka enter the semi-finals knowing they only just made it. That said, predicting results in Twenty20 cricket is always risky, and I fully expect this game to go back and forth before one team - "England", my gut whispers - edge their way into the finals.