Unbeaten teams tussle with India watching over their shoulders

Almost all of the 90,954 spectators who streamed through the Narendra Modi Stadium's gates to watch India play South Africa on Sunday wanted the home side to win. That didn't happen, as all of those fans will know. How many of them will be back at the world's biggest cricket ground on Thursday is anyone's guess. But this time they will shout for South Africa.

Victory for Aiden Markram's men over West Indies would help India's cause as the sharp end of the T20 World Cup looms. Should the South Africans win - and that result be followed by the Indians beating Zimbabwe at Chepauk in Thursday's late game - two things will happen.

South Africa will seal a semifinal spot, and India's showdown with the West Indians at Eden Gardens on Sunday will be a shootout for a place in the final four. A West Indies win over South Africa would chuck a large and hungry cat among those pigeons.

While India should have the measure of the Zimbabweans, who had their unbeaten bubble after four games - one of them washed out - burst emphatically by West Indies at the Wankhede on Monday, it is by no means assured that the South Africans will subdue the men in maroon.

It's true that the closest South Africa have come to dropping points was when they needed two Super Overs to sneak past Afghanistan in Ahmedabad in their second group game. But West Indies are just as unbeaten after five matches.

Shimron Hetmyer was the second-highest run-scorer in the tournament going into Wednesday's encounter between Sri Lanka and New Zealand in Colombo and Jason Holder had the fourth-highest batting strike rate. Only three bowlers have taken more wickets than Gudakesh Motie, and just two have a better economy rate than Matthew Forde. The only South African to appear higher on the lists than those West Indian players is Marco Jansen, who has taken one more wicket than Motie.

With their big hitters and sense of occasion, few teams are better placed to knock the South Africans off their perch than the Caribbean crew. But the converse is just as true - South Africa have shown grit and steel and are well capable of claiming another win.

What to expect:It's a red soil pitch, which should help the seamers. But that also means the ball should come onto the bat faster. Even Ahmedabad's black soil surfaces haven't offered much turn during the tournament. The afternoon start means dew will not be a factor.

* South Africa have played four of their five T20 World Cup matches at the Narendra Modi Stadium, though none of them started at 3 PM. West Indies have never played a T20I here.

"They have the advantage of having played most of the games at the same venue. But once we plan properly and execute our plans, we will play a good game. We're not worried about the venues and who did and didn't play there. It's about understanding what needs to be done and executing." - Batting coach Floyd Reifer on West Indies' absence so far from Ahmedabad.

Click here to read article