T20 World Cup: India vs Bangladesh and Afghanistan vs Australia predictions and cricket betting tips

Where to watch the T20 World Cup

India v Bangladesh
Sky Sports Cricket, 3.30pm Saturday

Afghanistan v Australia
Sky Sports Cricket, 1.30am Sunday

Best bets

Suryakumar Yadav to score 30 or more runs
2pts 11-10 bet365

Adam Zampa top Australia wicket-taker
2pts 10-3 bet365

T20 World Cup predictions

The T20 World Cup semi-finals beckon for heavyweight pair India and Australia, who can both seal their place in the last four with a game to spare in the second round of Super 8 fixtures.

Ante-post favourites India get the first opportunity to move within two victories of a first twenty-over world title since the inaugural edition in 2007 when they play Bangladesh in Antigua on Saturday afternoon.

Rohit Sharma's men have made largely serene progress to date but have also shown that they can dig deep when required, defending 119 against fierce rivals Pakistan in the group stage. 

Thursday's comprehensive win over a capable Afghanistan outfit was particularly impressive and owed much to a classy fifty from middle-order batsman Suryakumar Yadav.

At 33, Suryakumar is something of a late developer on the international scene but he is making up for lost time, especially in T20 cricket where he averages a touch over 45 in 64 appearances including four hundreds and 19 fifties.

Scores of two and seven on the treacherous drop-in pitches of New York in India's first two matches at the tournament have been followed by 50 not out against the USA and 53 in the win over the Afghans, and Bangladesh's bowlers could be the next to feel the full force of Suryakumar.

India are blessed with exceptional batting talent throughout so backing Suryakumar to score 30 or more runs, as he did when the two sides met in a warm-up match in New York, could be the best approach.

Australia may face a sterner test of their credentials against Afghanistan at the picturesque Arnos Vale Stadium in St Vincent.

Pat Cummins took a hat-trick in the Aussies' opening Super 8s success over Bangladesh but leg-spinner Adam Zampa could be their bowler to focus on against the Afghans.

The pitches at the Arnos Vale Stadium are conducive to spin as advertised in South Africa's last-ball win over Nepal when 12 of the 14 wickets to fall were taken by spinners.

Zampa's fellow leg-spinners Kushal Bhurtel and Tabraiz Shamsi both claimed four-wicket hauls in that match and the Australian will be licking his lips at the prospect of another turning wicket.

Click for more free bets and betting offers from the Racing Post

Commercial notice: This article contains affiliate links. Offers are handpicked and come from operators our experts have first-hand experience of. Opening an account via one of these links will earn revenue for the Racing Post, which will be used to continue producing our award-winning coverage of horseracing and sports betting.