Slow wickets helpsful for spinners

Rehman banned for 12 weeks for cannabis use

Abdur Rehman, the Pakistan left-arm spinner, has been banned for 12 weeks by the ECB under its anti-doping rules after testing positive for the recreational drug cannabis during his stint with Somerset in the English domestic season. The penalty is binding on all countries signed up to the World Anti-Doping Code.

Rehman will be suspended until midnight of December 21. He has already been withdrawn from the Sialkot Stallions squad for the Champions League T20, which begins on October 9 in South Africa.

West Indies in controversy before semis

The West Indies team found themselves in a controversy two days before their World Twenty20 semi-final against Australia when police arrested three women who, they say, had been guests of players at a Colombo hotel early on Wednesday morning. The women, all British nationals, were released on bail without being charged and the team management said the matter was now closed.

David Hussey in contention for semi-final

David Hussey could be in line for a recall for Australia's semi-final against West Indies as the selectors consider the value of experience at the business end of the tournament. The allrounder Glenn Maxwell would be the likely candidate to make way for Hussey after he had a disappointing match against Pakistan, but the coach Mickey Arthur said a decision was yet to be made.

Toss key in spin-heavy contest

In a tournament where no team has managed to stay unbeaten, the first semi-final will be contested between two of the most consistent teams in thehistory of the World Twenty20. Pakistan, who qualified for the semi-finals on the basis of a better net run rate than India, have defied the unpredictable nature of the format by making the last four in each of the four tournaments. Only Michael Hussey's remarkable 60 ended their hopes of making a third consecutive final in the 2010 World Twenty20. Sri Lanka, who went through the Super Eights undefeated, are the only team to come close to matching Pakistan's consistency.

Expectations soar as Sri Lanka enter familiar territory

Something about major tournaments stokes Sri Lanka's fire. They have now reached their fifth semi-final in six competitions, second only to Pakistan who have a cleansweep since the 2007 World Cup. In between the major events, they are often underwhelming. Before defeating Pakistan in the home ODIs in June, Sri Lanka had failed to collect silverware in six limited-overs series over 10 months.

Sri Lanka and Pakistan in familiar territory

Match facts

October 4, 2012
Start time 1900 (1330 GMT)

Big Picture

Pakistan didn't know until late on Tuesday night whether they'd have to keep their hotel reservations in Colombo for a few more days. But when South Africa's Robin Peterson gloved a ball for a single to take the score to 122 against India, a roar went around the Premadasa. It sounded as though Sri Lanka were playing, but the noise was from a legion of Pakistan fans who were celebrating their team's progress to the semi-finals on net run rate, at India's expense.

Unpredictable Pakistan become regular semi-finalists

The Premadasa Stadium, in its refurbished avatar, shimmers in the Colombo afternoon heat, its near-vertical stands staring coldly at the tattered outfield, large patches of brown spread like a rash on the green. Last evening Pakistan's fielders, faced with a win-or-depart situation, threw themselves around on it, without a care for their bodies. Their spinners squeezed all the power and fight out of Australia's batsmen. The reward was a sixth successive semi-final in an ICC tournament since the double blows of tragedy and disappointment in the 2007 World Cup.

Pakistan through despite India victory

India crashed out of the ICC World Twenty20 on Tuesday night, making its exit at the Super Eights for the third consecutive edition, despite a one-run victory over South Africa. India needed to win by a 31-run margin to edge out Pakistan on net-run-rate and make the semi-finals as the second team from the group, behind Australia.

Its final margin of victory merely facilitated Pakistan's entry into the last four. Pakistan will now face Sri Lanka, the host nation, in the first semi-final on Thursday, while Australia will take on the West Indies in Friday's second semi-final.

Points Table

T20 World Cup - Super Eight Step by Step

Pakistan qualifies for Semi Final T20 2012