Squads Australia and India have had enough time in the last four months to work for each other, ensuring a level of tension in his semifinal World Cup expected to go far beyond that of a typical game knockout.
Australia SUV James Faulkner will not be surprised if there are some niggle and verbal exchanges, as he is not surprised that the defending champion India shook off his bad way leading to the World Cup winning seven straight games.
“It’s been a while in the country, which have adapted well to the conditions,” Faulkner said in a press conference Monday. “It’s no surprise they plot against us in the semifinal, which are a very strong team.
“You’ll see two very good teams going against each other -. It should be a very good show”
Australia has won the Cricket World Cup four times and reached the final on two other occasions, but never in his homeland. India has two World Cup titles and became the first team to take him at his home in 2011 after beating Australia in the quarter-finals, semi-finals in Pakistan and Sri Lanka in the championship game.
India did not win a competitive match between when the team landed in Australia in November to its opening World Cup match against Pakistan in February 15. At that time, a series of tests to Australia was lost, and was winless in one limited-overs tri-series against Australia and England.
Faulkner said the exchange was “all in a great spirit,” and he expects the strongest trade with a spot in the final game at the Sydney Cricket Ground on Thursday.
“It will be said words and it will be a very tough competition,” Faulkner said, adding that there is usually some sleds in the field said. “It’s the nature of the game, it’s a semifinal. Cut throat. No team backing down.”
The squad practiced India at the SCG on Monday, but, as has become the usual routine at the World Cup, was kept away from the media until the eve of the match. Is expected to be filled with Sydney based fans traveling India that can outnumber supporters of Australia and possibly make it look more like a road game for the home.
“We were talking about it last night at dinner, the last game we played here certainly felt that way,” Faulkner said. “The passion of the Indian fans show toward your cricket team is sensational, so we’re definitely looking forward to that.”
India didn’t win a competitive match between the time the squad landed in Australia in November until its opening World Cup game against Pakistan on Feb. 15. In that time, it lost a test series to Australia, and was winless in a limited-overs tri-series against Australia and England.
There was some glaring aggression between the teams in the test and ODI series, with players on both sides sanctioned and warned that sledging would not be tolerated at the World Cup. Australian all-rounder Shane Watson was fined last week for his part in an exchange with Pakistan paceman Wahab Riaz during a torrid spell of fast, short-pitch bowling that was easily the highlight of the quarterfinal in Adelaide.
