Skipper George Bailey is urging his batsmen to play their shots and not be tentative in Friday night's cut-throat World Twenty20 semi-final against West Indies at Colombo's Premadasa Stadium.

"I'd rather see us throw caution to the wind. If we get knocked over, we get knocked over," Bailey said.

Australia's loss to Pakistan on Tuesday night was their only defeat in five matches in the tournament which has included a 17-run win over West Indies in a rain-affected group match on September 22.

Australia's bowlers let the Windies get away to a total of 8-191 including half-centuries from Chris Gayle and Marlon Samuels.

"Their batting is no doubt their strength," Bailey said.

"If you can knock him (Gayle) over early it really does put pressure on the rest of their batsmen to step up."

Bailey says young allrounder Glenn Maxwell is facing pressure from middle-order batsman David Hussey for his place in the side.

Maxwell fell for four from a loose off-drive at a crucial time in Tuesday's loss.

The 23-year-old has taken only one wicket in the tournament with his offspinners and dropped a vital catch at slip against Pakistan.

"I saw Mickey (coach and co-selector Mickey Arthur) had weighed up those two (players) and that's probably the only one to be weighed up. But the structure doesn't change in terms of a like-for-like," Bailey says.

The match starts at 2330 AEST and the winner will play Sri Lanka in Sunday's final after Sri Lanka beat Pakistan by 16 runs in Thursday night's first semi-final.