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West Indies v Afghanistan World Twenty20 preview

West Indies are already in the semi-finals of the World Twenty20, but Phil Simmons said they must not hold back against Afghanistan.

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Phil Simmons has urged West Indies to maintain their momentum when they face Afghanistan in their final World Twenty20 Super 10 match on Sunday.

The Windies beat South Africa by three wickets with two balls to spare in a tense Group 1 match in Nagpur on Saturday to seal their place in the semi-finals.

Darren Sammy's side should make it four wins out of four when they face Afghanistan at the Vidarbha Cricket Association Stadium, but coach Simmons warned they must not take the minnows lightly in the first T20 match between the two nations.

"I know them and I know they are going try and come to win, so we've got to play properly," said Simmons.

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"There's always work to be done and improvement to happen, because we played the first two games on good wickets and then winning tight matches on a difficult wicket like that [against South Africa] you know you are moving forward.

"When you win the close games it shows you are doing something right."

SAMUELS WELCOMES RETURN TO FORM

Marlon Samuels has been short of runs this year, but the all-rounder top scored with 43 to set up the win over the Proteas. He said: "I'm not going to be overconfident, but this is the part of the game which I think is the most beautiful part of the game. It makes you bring out how tough you are as a person, because you're going to have failures, but what matters the most is how you come back."

ONE LAST SHOW FROM SHAHZAD?

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Afghanistan gave England a major scare on Wednesday before ultimately falling short. They may have lost all three games in Group 1, but the Associate side have won plenty of admirers in the tournament and if the dangerous Mohammad Shahzad gets going at the top of the order, they could give the Windies a test.

WINDIES TO SHUFFLE THE PACK?

With a place in the last four already secured, Simmons revealed that the selectors will discuss whether to give other players a chance to show what they can do. The likes of Jerome Taylor and Jason Holder could earn a recall.

OPTA STATS

- Chris Gayle needs two more sixes to reach 100 in T20Is; no batsman has reached the milestone to date. - Mohammad Shahzad has scored 1343 runs in T20 Internationals; 666 more than any other batsman for Afghanistan. - Dwayne Bravo has the opportunity to become the first bowler to take 50 T20I wickets for West Indies; he only needs four more.

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