Hughes's short-ball warning for Watson

Shane Watson and Wahab Riaz have been lauded long and loud for their thrilling battle that lit up the World Cup quarter-final between Australia and Pakistan, but former skipper Kim Hughes has sounded a warning.

Hughes said Watson's mid-tournament reinvention as a middle-order batsman had "been a masterstroke" but worried about his ability to deal with the short ball after struggling through Wahab's mesmerising spell.

"My god, it was electric. You couldn't take your eyes off it. He (Wahab) was running in like it was a Test on a green seamer," Hughes said on SEN radio.

"But honestly, Watson was like a rabbit in the headlights.

Wahab's mesmerising spell against Australia in Adelaide

"I'd hate to have thought what the great West Indian side would have done to him.

"It was quite good he gutsed that out but quite frankly, that drop down to fine leg was an absolute dolly and he looked terrible."

Hughes said the contrast between the way Watson and Steve Smith handled Wahab was stark.

Compared to Watson, he was playing on a different wicket," Hughes said.

"Smith was paddling him around the corner, getting his singles, rotating the strike, looking fantastic.

"I don't know the circumstances (of Watson's axing from the XI and subsequent recall) but it has been a masterstroke.

"He's got a couple of sixties in a row and that will do his confidence a world of good."

Watson spent an extended time in the SCG nets yesterday facing a volley of short-pitched deliveries, presumably expecting similar treatment on Thursday.

Watson faces a series of short-pitched throwdowns in the SCG nets

Hughes, however, was full of praise for Australia's leading World Cup run-scorer Glenn Maxwell.

"Maxwell – well when you're hot you're hot," said Hughes.

"Muhammad Ali said a man with no imagination can't fly. At this stage Maxwell is flying all over the world, with both bat and ball.

"The grounds are not big enough for Maxwell. He's one of the few players that can win or lose you a World Cup. He's hot to trot, he's good as gold."

Hughes added he was hoping Australia would recall speedster Pat Cummins for the game over Josh Hazlewood, but wasn't expecting such a move to happen after the latter's 4-35 against Pakistan.

"I must admit I wasn't that impressed with him (Hazlewood)," Hughes said. "Cummins is a yard or two quicker that can bowl at the death – he's a dangerous bowler.

"If I was a batsman, who would I rather face? Hazlewood, if he doesn't get early wickets you can get after him. He's a better four or five day bowler than a one-day bowler at this stage.

"Cummins is a good eight or so kilometres an hour quicker than Hazlewood (but) I doubt they'll bring in Cummins now and to drop a bloke that just got four wickets is hard to do."

Hughes captained Australia for 28 Tests before his reign ended in tears. The current World Cup squad will be hoping their campaign doesn't end the same way in Thursday's semi-final with a large Indian contingent expected at the SCG.

"It's going to be exciting. They (Indian fans) bring a spontaneity to cricket and it is wonderful. It's their passion, their life, doesn't matter if you're male or female," Hughes said.

"One of the great successes of the World Cup has been the subcontinent support – be it Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Pakistan or India.

"They've been absolutely wonderful, they come and sing and chant and the women all get involved. They've conducted themselves fantastically.

"They have some lovely players to watch. Australia will need to be on their mettle but they look very, very strong. It's going to be a really riveting game."

Australia step up a gear in the final week