NAIROBI, OCTOBER 12: India take on South Africa in the second semi-final game of the ICC knock-out cricket tournament here on Friday with both teams seeking redemption after a series of match-fixing allegations put their teams in total disarray.The two teams last met in a series in India earlier this year, which was tainted by charges of match-fixing and took heavy toll on both teams.The two teams look in fine nick with India, after defeating Australia in the quarter-finals rather comfortably, gaining in confidence. South Africa too had a good outing against England crushing them by eight wickets.It will essentially come down to which team is able to capitalise on its chances better and a high-powered game is on the cards.India will once again look to its batsmen to deliver the goods and with the top order in the thick of runs a huge total is likely.Newcomers Yuvraj Singh, who hit a fluent 84 against Australia and Zaheer Khan, who claimed three wickets in the same match, have shaped up well and will once again be required to put up good performances. But it would be the knocks of Sachin Tendulkar, Saurav Ganguly and Rahul Dravid, the mainstay of Indian batting for quite some time now, which will be crucial for the team putting up a total in excess of 250.Vinod Kambli, making a comeback in the tournament after out an year in the wilderness, has looked good in earlier matches but a big knock has eluded him.Ganguly has pinned big hopes on him, nonetheless. ``Vinod has been really timing well and he looks in good nick. He seems a good bet for a big score on Friday,'' Ganguly said.However, bowling seems to be a worry for the Indians as barring Zaheer Khan and Anil Kumble, the others have not looked as incisive.Left-hand spinner Sunil Joshi is likely to be included in the team on Friday in place of Ajit Agarkar, who has largely been pedestrian in this tournament.Zaheer, who has impressed one and all with his speed and accuracy and also his ability to keep his cool in crunch situations, has tremendous expectations to live up to and Venkatesh Prasad will be looking to get back his killer instinct for the big game.The tournament has seen a huge difference in the body language of the Indians and their performances in the field have looked markedly better. They have latched on to catches and effected difficult run-outs.The energy and agility that the youngsters have brought has transformed the entire team and it would be interesting to see how the team fares.South Africa, on the other hand, are a better balanced team. In fact, they have been playing better ever since Shaun Pollock took over the reins in the wake of Cronje episode.They drew a One-day home series against Australia and then defeated them on Australian soil. South Africa also have the advantage of having a better record against the Indians leading 4-3 in seven encounters this year.Pollock said his team had done a detailed study of the Indian team and devised a strategy to tackle them.Indeed, Tendulkar, Ganguly and Dravid, as also Yuvraj Singh and Zaheer Khan have been keenly monitored by the South Africans coming into this game.``We know the openers (Tendulkar and Ganguly) very well. When we were there last in India, they came blazing up front. That's the way they bat normally,'' Pollock said.``But we are ready for them. We have a game plan and we are going to stick to it.''South Africa have a strong batting line-up and are capable of overtaking any total. Gary Kirsten, Jacques Kallis and Boeta Dippenaar have already sounded the alert having come up with good scores against England.All-rounders Lance Klusener, Nicky Boje and Shaun Pollockand wicket-keeper Mark Boucher are no mean customers with the bat and it would require an exceptionally good bowling attack to restrain them.The return of Allan Donald has given new sharpness to their pace attack which even otherwise is quite good. The battery of Pollock, Roger Telemachus, Donald and possibly Makhaya Ntini is enough to give severe headache to any batting line-up as was evident against England.Teams:India (from): Saurav Ganguly (capt), Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid, Vinod Kambli, Yuvraj Singh, Robin Singh, Vijay Dahiya, Anil Kumble, Zaheer Khan, Venkatesh Prasad, Ajit Agarkar, Sunil Joshi.South Africa: Shaun Pollock (capt), Gary Kirsten, Andrew Hall, Jacques Kallis, Mark Boucher, Nicky Boje, Boeta Dippenaar, Lance Klusener, Allan Donald, Roger Telemachus, Jonty Rhodes, Makhaya Ntini.Umpires: Darrell Hair (Australia) and Peter Willey (England).Third Umpire: Steve Bucknor (West Indies).Match referee: Cammie Smith (West Indies).
