Rohit Sharma punting tips for Windies vs India T20 World Cup Semi

India
$1.44 at Luxbet.com
Group 2 result: Runner-up
Win-loss record: 3-1

West Indies
$2.94 at www.CrownBet.com
Group 1 result: Winner
Win-loss record: 3-1

INDIA have taken the rough road on their quest to become the first nation to win two ICC World Twenty20 titles.

They lost their opening game against New Zealand, scraped past Bangladesh with a miraculous three-wicket final over, and edged past a sloppy Australia side to snatch second spot in Group 2.

The hosts owe much to one Virat Kohli, whose 184 runs in the Super 10 round almost single-handedly dragged them into the semifinals.

No other Indian player has registered a half century, which Kohli did twice in the group stage, while MS Dhoni (74) and Yuvraj Singh (52) are the only others to have passed 50 runs for the tournament.

Yuvraj’s ankle injury could cause further problems for the home side, as the skipper admitted this week when discussing potential selection shuffles.

“I don’t know whether we should make changes, but it is possible, depending on the wicket,” Dhoni said.

“We have to see Yuvraj’s injury as well. We would definitely like to have a replacement ready if the physio says it is bad.”

Singh isn’t the only star batsman who could be left out for the semis, as Rohit Sharma, Shikhar Dhawan and Suresh Raina have managed a measly 129 runs between them.

Despite the uncertainty surrounding their lineup, and a lack of real strike power with the ball, Australia coach Darren Lehmann has declared Dhoni’s men the team to beat.

“I can’t see them losing, that’s my personal opinion,” Lehmann told Australian media after his side was eliminated by India at the Super 10 stage.

“I think whoever won [between Australia and India] would go a long way in the tournament … everyone thinks that around the world.”

First they have to get past a dangerous but erratic West Indies outfit.

Darren Sammy’s men shone against England, Sri Lanka and South Africa to secure an early semifinal slot, but the gloss was rather dulled by their six-run defeat to Afghanistan in the final group game.

They were somewhat hindered by the injury to Andre Fletcher, who strained his hamstring and will miss the rest of the tournament.

He will be replaced by Lendl Simmons, who initially withdrew from the World T20 with a back problem, after the WICB sought special dispensation from the ICC.

Simmons could slot straight into the top three along with Chris Gayle, who sat out the dead rubber against the Afghanis.

But even the Jamaican superstar’s likely return isn’t enough to sway online bookmakers, with the Windies drifting out to nearly $3 in the Twenty20 World Cup semifinal betting.

Rohit Sharma T20 World Cup bets

Four matches, 45 runs, high score 18, average 11.25, strike rate 88.23.

These are not the kind of numbers we have come to expect from a man who has not one, but two double centuries in limited-overs internationals.

Rohit looked primed for a big tournament after an excellent summer in Australia, but he’s still stuck in the blocks at India 2016.

However, he is one of those guys who only needs one over, maybe only one shot, to click into top gear and turn things around.

So, even with no real form to speak of, Sharma’s a decent bet – if he keeps his spot for the semis, that is.

Man of the match – $8 (William Hill)

Top match batsman – $6.50 (Luxbet)

Top India batsman – $4.33 (Bet365)

Under 16.5 runs – $2.33 (Sportsbet)

Over 22.5 runs – $1.86 (Sportsbet)

Andre Russell betting markets

As Chris Gayle’s career enters its twilight, another Jamaican is emerging as the new superstar of West Indian cricket.

Whether he’s steaming in with the ball, winding up with the willow, or stalking the outfield, Russell is one of those guys who is always in the game.

He has led the Caribbean attack with aplomb at T20 World Cup 2016, taking wickets in every match and striking at 12.7 balls per victim.

While he hasn’t had many opportunities with the bat in hand, his powerful lower-order hitting can be every bit as deadly as his bowling.

Throw in his ability to make anything happen in the field, and ‘Dre Russ’ looks good value for a MOTM gong if the Windies can upset India and book a final berth.

Top match batsman – $91 (Sportsbet)

Man of the match – $13 (Bet365)

Top West Indies batsman – $13 (William Hill)

Top West Indies bowler – $5 (Sportsbet)

More wickets than Ashish Nehra – $2.03 (William Hill)