Australia will take on India in the second semi-final of the ICC World Cup 2015 at Sydney. Here's a look at how the hosts made it to the last four.
Beat England by 111 runs at Melbourne: Australia kicked off their 2015 World Cup campaign on a memorable note with a crushing 111-run triumph over the old enemy England. Batting first, they notched up 342 for 9 courtesy Aaron Finch's 135 and fifties from Glenn Maxwell and then skipper George Bailey. In reply, England were never in the chase. They kept losing wickets at regular intervals, and only James Taylor's unbeaten 98 lent some respectability to their innings. Mitchell Marsh claimed 5 for 33.
The game between Australia and Bangladesh at Brisbane was washed out due to rain and teams shared points.
Lost to New Zealand by 1 wicket at Auckland: The match between Australia and New Zealand at Eden Park was billed as the game of the league stage, and it lived up to its reputation, ending in a thriller. Batting first, Australia managed only 151 thanks in main to Brad Haddin's 41 and David Warner's 34 after Trent Boult's five-four crippled them. In response, Mitchell Starc ran through the Kiwi batting line-up, claming 6 for 28, but Kane Williamson held his nerve to see New Zealand through.
Beat Afghanistan by 275 runs at Perth: Australia thrashed Afghanistan in this game with David Warner making 178 from 133 balls. Steven Smith contributed 95, and Maxwell a quickfire 88, Australia put up a record 417 for 6 on the board. In response, Afghanistan only managed 142, with Mitchell Johnson claming 4 for 22.
Beat Sri Lanka by 64 runs at Sydney: Australia got the better of Sri Lanka in a high-scoring clash at Sydney. Maxwell blasted 102 from 53 while Steve Smith, Michael Clarke and Shane Watson also posted half-centuries as Australia put up a mammoth 376 on the board. In response, Kumar Sangakkara scored another hundred for Sri Lanka and Tillakaratne Dilshan and Dinesh Chandimal also got fifties, but Lanka managed only 312 as Faulkner claimed three scalps.
Beat Scotland by 7 wickets at Hobart: Australia had it easy against Scotland. Bowling first, they restricted the opponents to 130 as Starc picked up 4 for 14, and Cummins 3 for 42. Australia won by 7 wickets as Clarke opened the innings and got 47.
Beat Pakistan by 6 wickets at Adelaide: Australia bowled first in the quarter-finals and restricted Pakistan to 213 as Josh Hazlewood picked up 4 for 35. Wahab Riaz bowled a fiery spell for Pakistan, but Smith's 65, along with Watson's 64 and Maxwell's 44 took them into the semis.
--By A Cricket Analyst
