Ravi Shastri
Ravi Shastri is India's team director Getty

As India take on West Indies in the second semi-final clash of the ICC T20 World Cup 2016 at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on 31 March, their team director Ravi Shastri has urged the underperforming batsmen to rise to the big occasion.

Virat Kohli has been the key player for the host nation as his unbeaten knocks of 55 against Pakistan and 82 against Australia helped the 2007 T20 champions to seal a berth in the last four of the tournament. Openers Shikhar Dhawan and Rohit Sharma, along with Suresh Raina have been disappointing so far.

The trio have failed to build a partnership or score big runs, which could have given India a good start in the four Super 10 matches they have played so far. Shastri believes it is necessary for six to seven players to shine in Mumbai, if India look to retain any hope of defeating West Indies in order to make it to the final of the T20 World Cup.

"I still believe we have played only 70 per cent to our abilities in this tournament. There are still areas where we can improve. Let's hope it happens tomorrow," Firstpost quoted Shastri as saying.

"In a semi-final you got to get your A game in. You can't depend on one or two players, you need 6-7 players to step up to the plate. It has not happened so far in this tournament. Let's hope it happens tomorrow."

India will be without the services of all-rounder Yuvraj Singh for the semi-final due to an ankle injury and he has been replaced by Manish Pandey. Shastri admitted that M S Dhoni's side will miss the left-handed batsman when they face West Indies on Thursday.

"It will have an impact. He's had his moment and I thought his three overs were brilliant in the last game (against Australia) that really put the checks and brakes on the scoring and allowed us to come back into the contest," he said.

"After the first four overs (when Australia had raced to 53 for no loss) it was a no contest. At one stage it looked that (target for India would be) 200 or 200-plus which would have been very difficult to chase on that pitch."

England defeated New Zealand in the first semi-final on 30 March. The winner of the clash between India and West Indies will face the Three Lions in the final of the ICC T20 World Cup 2016 at Eden Gardens on Sunday.