England will have to play a heavily tactical game if they are to upset pre-tournament favourites India, who have shown signs of caginess, which was absent in their build-up to the tournament. In their last game, India were good with their tactical use of bowlers, going defensive against Shai Hope and backloading their main bowlers to try to limit the damage against the bigger hitters. Here are some of the tactical set pieces we can expect in the second semi-final of the T20 World Cup.
Archer: Boom or bust
As soon as it became clear that India were going to play England in the semi-final, India fans were immediately reminded of Jofra Archer vs Sanju Samson from England's tour of India: 23 balls, 25 runs, three wickets. They were not quick enough to remember how severe Abhishek Sharma and Tilak Varma had been on Archer: Abhishek took 61 runs off 33 balls, Varma 36 off 16; neither was dismissed.
It doesn't mean India will hide Samson or England will hide Archer. Knowing India, nor is it likely to result in a promotion for Varma. There could be alterations in how the involved players operate, though.
On his last trip, Archer bowled almost exclusively around the wicket to the left-hand batters, which is against his natural instinct. For 44 balls out of 49, Archer looked to tuck them up from that angle with a leg-side field, but Abhishek and Varma were good enough to create room and use his pace to slash him over point and third and also drive him over cover. Expect Archer to angle the ball away from over the wicket and even possibly go the other extreme of bowling with a deep square third and a deep cover-point.
Samson has been good at backing away and using the bowlers' pace to score runs behind square this World Cup. He will look to do the same against hard lengths from Archer, but his natural inward movement can prove to be tricky.
Jacks to open despite Samson risk
Recency bias should be enough of a reason for Will Jacks to open the bowling and hope to stifle Abhishek and No. 3 Ishan Kishan. Abhishek enjoys a good overall match-up against Jacks, but at Wankhede last year, for Mumbai Indians against Sunrisers Hyderabad, he bowled four balls at these two for just two runs and the wicket of Kishan.
Ideally, India should promote Suryakumar Yadav if Jacks does open and happens to get the wicket of Abhishek, but India are not keen on changing Suryakumar's batting position. They have instead relied on Samson's proactiveness to counter offspin. Expect more of that.
England take on India in the second semi-final of the T20 World Cup at Wankhede on Thursday
Rashid: India vs Sri Lanka
Legspinner Adil Rashid is the man to control the middle overs. He has better numbers against left-hand batters than right at this World Cup. However, the Sri Lankan pitches have been kinder to him. In India he has gone at nine an over. At Wankhede, though, he bowled 4-0-16-2 against West Indies. Rashid will look to bank on the relatively low number of sweeps from India's batters.
Salt vs Arshdeep
With Jos Buttler struggling, India have a good match-up at the top: Arshdeep Singh against Phil Salt. Arshdeep has bowled 44 balls to Salt for 50 runs and dismissed him four times. But in their last clash, Salt took 12 off six balls from Arshdeep as Royal Challengers Bengaluru beat Punjab Kings in the IPL final. Just before that, in the Qualifier, it was 13 off six balls.
It's the Arshdeep short ball that has troubled Salt: four dismissals in 18 balls. On a small ground like the Wankhede, short balls are never free of risk.
Anil Kumble feels Varun should look to bowl a few deliveries going away from the batters
Axar to be used defensively
If they could have their way, India would want to keep Varun Chakravarthy away from the powerplay. They don't want him to go for runs in his first over. England's No. 3 and form player Harry Brook actually has a decent record against both Axar Patel and Varun. The latter has dismissed him thrice in 30 balls but has also gone at nine an over.
England's task is to force India to bowl their main bowlers early unlike West Indies, who didn't score at a hefty rate despite Varun and Jasprit Bumrah bowling only one over each in the first ten.
It is quite possible India would want Axar to bowl overs four and six. Bumrah could be called upon if Buttler is not dismissed early, but will they use one Bumrah over early for Buttler in this form? Overall, Buttler has faced 88 balls from Bumrah for four dismissals and just 79 runs.