2019 Cricket World Cup semi-finals live on Sky Sports: India vs New Zealand, England vs Australia
Tuesday 9 July 2019 16:27, UK
We now know the match-ups for the two 2019 ICC Cricket World Cup semi-finals, with India playing New Zealand and hosts England taking on Australia - both broadcast live on Sky Sports.
India secured top spot in the group stage with a seven-wicket win over Sri Lanka on Saturday, jumping above Australia as they slipped to a 10-run defeat to South Africa.
It means Australia - chasing a sixth World Cup success - will face England, through to a first semi-final in 27 years, at Edgbaston on Thursday. Aaron Finch's side beat the tournament hosts by 64 runs in their earlier meeting at Lord's.
Before then, first-placed India meet fourth-placed New Zealand at Old Trafford on Tuesday, with the two teams in contrasting form coming into the contest.
India have lost only once in the tournament, to England, while New Zealand have slipped up in each of their last three games. The group-stage meeting between the teams at Trent Bridge was abandoned due to rain.
Live ICC Cricket World Cup
Both semi-finals will be broadcast live on the dedicated channel 'Sky Sports Cricket World Cup', on air from 9.30am. Sky customers can also watch live via and follow over-by-over commentary via the Sky Sports mobile app.
Sky will make the World Cup final available on free-to-air television should England make it to the showpiece event at Lord's on Sunday, July 14.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
As far as India are concerned, how can it be anyone else than Rohit Sharma. The opener has scored a tournament-leading 647 runs and a record five World Cup centuries, including one in each of his last three games. Virat Kohli, meanwhile, has had a relatively quiet tournament by his high standard - the skipper with five fifties to his name but yet to kick on through to three figures. As for the bowling, is there anyone better in the death overs than Jasprit Bumrah? His 17 wickets for the tournament at 19.52 and a 4.48 economy suggests not.
New Zealand's disappointing form coming into the semi-finals has largely been due to an over-dependence on their skipper Kane Williamson to score the bulk of their runs. He has 481 for the tournament, at a 96.20 average, which is nearly double next best Ross Taylor's 261. But with the ball, the Black Caps have impressed throughout, and they will be keen for the return of fast bowler Lockie Ferguson after he sat out the defeat to England with a hamstring injury. He has 17 wickets at 18.58, while left-armer Trent Boult has followed up his terrific 2015 tournament haul of 22 wickets with a further 15 here.
Jonny Bairstow comes into the semi-finals in blistering form, scoring back-to-back centuries in their crucial wins over India and New Zealand to clinch qualification. Ben Stokes has had a terrific all-round tournament, showing great consistency with the bat with four half-centuries, claiming seven wickets at 29.14 - going at a measly 4.65 an over - and pulling off that catch in the opening win over South Africa. Jofra Archer and Mark Wood, meanwhile, bring the fire with the ball - both lightning quick, they have shared 33 wickets together.
David Warner and Aaron Finch have got Australia off to terrific starts throughout the tournament. Warner's 638-run tally is only topped by Sharma, while Finch's 507 is good enough for fourth spot. Keep an eye out too for wicketkeeper-batsman Alex Carey, who averages a more than handy 65.80 with the bat, at a 113.44 strike-rate. With the ball, Mitchell Starc is comfortably clear of the chasing pack, the left-arm quick's 26 wickets at 16.61 six clear of Mustafizur Rahman in second and a host of seamers on 17.
SCHEDULE
Tuesday, July 9: Semi-final 1 - India vs New Zealand, Old Trafford
Wednesday, July 10: reserve day
Thursday, July 11: Semi-final 2 - England vs Australia, Edgbaston
Friday, July 12: Reserve Day
Sunday, July 14: Final, Lord's
Monday, July 15: Reserve Day
Watch every match at the Cricket World Cup live on Sky Sports, with India taking on New Zealand in the first semi-final from 9.30am on Tuesday and England facing Australia in the second semi-final on Thursday, also on air from 9.30am.
