Cricket World Cup: War of words high risk

Shane Watson: "I don't want to get fined again or suspended." Photo / Nick Reed

David Warner and Shane Watson must walk a fine line between banter and blow-up today, when Australia face India in their Cricket World Cup semifinal.

The stakes will be high for the entire Australian XI, which is expected to be unchanged after last Friday's win over Pakistan.

But Warner and Watson have the most to lose at the SCG. If either has to face the music because of an on-field incident, they risk being suspended for the tournament decider due to their rap sheet this summer.

"I don't want to get fined again or suspended so I know I'll have to be even more diligent with what I say [and] when I say it," Watson said.

"It's definitely going to be very hard-fought out there and we're going to have to be very careful not to step over the line."

The two sides played out an oft-heated test series this summer, with Watson and Warner involved in plenty of verbal spats.

Warner has kept a lid on things since being fined for demanding Rohit Sharma speak English in a one-dayer at the MCG, where Sharma insulted the Australian in Hindi.

Sharma, who scored a century in his side's quarter-final win over Bangladesh, promised there would be no let-up in India's aggressive approach. "If there is a bit of banter going around, so be it. It's part of the game ... I just hope it doesn't cross the line."

Australian captain Michael Clarke agreed there would be sledging in the match, but noted it wasn't a focus for his side. "It's really important we focus on what's important and that is playing our best cricket," he said.

ICC chief executive David Richardson said: "Things get heated; we actually like them to get heated from time to time."

AAP