Good week for...

England

Only a second major final in 18 years - and the first in that time that anyone cares about.

The success undoubtedly owes much to the new-look top order, finally mastering the art of big hitting.

The real story, though, is surely the bowlers. Michael Yardy's gloriously turgid darters are pleasingly effective. And the repeatedly deployed slow long hop has batsmen flummoxed: how are you supposed to change momentum so late in a shot, they wonder?

If a better answer isn't forthcoming, they may even have to go back to thinking about which shot to play before they play it.

Pakistan

Semi-finalists? Really?

Perhaps we shouldn't be surprised. They have pulled this trick before, notably in 1992. Moreover they have maintained their record as the only nation to reach the semi-final stage of every WT20.

But, at the quite glaring risk of abject humiliation, this is surely their scratchiest effort yet and among the worst major tournament defences ever seen.

Australia

Which brings us on to the favourites - and undoubtedly that is what they are after a quite ominous march to the last four.

It is difficult to think of a twenty20 campaign that has been conducted with quite such emphatic excellence.

Their last-four clash therefore represents a seminal moment: the chance for the Asian hegemony on the tournament finals to be totally broken and for the undeniably best two teams in the tournament to face one another down in Bridgetown on Sunday.

Bad week for...

Sri Lanka

Doomed from the moment we tipped them for glory, Kumar Sangakkara's side have bowed out with a whimper.

For the Sri Lankans it feels like the end of an era. No-one is in a rush to retire before hosting next year's World Cup but Muttiah Muralitharan looks ever more likely to make good on his 2011 retirement promise as injuries come more frequently and leave at leisure.

One man who has never had that same fidelity to international retirement is Sanath Jayasuriya. But his third (or is it fourth?) encore is sure to be his last and 2011 selection might be a sympathy vote.

Fifteen runs used to be a disappointing over for the Sri Lankan master blaster. This month it is all he has managed in six innings (0-3-6-5-0-1).

India

When Dhoni first assumed the Indian captaincy, he was astonishingly influential.

Now, for the second successive WT20, India have been a barely respectable rabble.

Their most obvious shortcomings speak to a lack of preparation: failure to correct well-known weaknesses against the short stuff; uninspired bowling plans early on; ramshackle fielding.

None of this is Dhoni's fault any more it is his team's, the coach Gary Kirsten's or the schedule that denies them rest and preparation time.

But that is in the nature of leading India. Previously it was easy to believe that Dhoni was unusually able to overcome the challenges and bring together a team at short notice.

On the basis of these post-IPL WT20s, he has lost the knack.

West Indies

By all accounts it has been a good tournament for the Caribbean region, repairing some of the damage inflicted by the last World Cup debacle.

If only their own team were able to contribute. The West Indies have surpassed even India in an apparent lack of commitment and interest. This may not be a great pool of talent but it is better than they have shown here.

Not for the first time, the impression is that twenty20 may have boosted cricket in the West Indies but at enormous cost to the Windies team.