In a format like T20 where despair could turn into delight and vice versa in a matter of a few overs, recent form might not mean much. Yet, in high-stakes ICC tournaments, momentum can play a key role.

It is what South Africa and the West Indies, the only remaining unbeaten teams of the ongoing T20 World Cup, will look to maintain when they meet in a pivotal Super Eight Group-1 clash at the Narendra Modi Stadium here on Thursday. Both sides are fresh off emphatic victories — the Proteas defeated India by 76 runs at this venue, while the Caribbean outfit thrashed Zimbabwe by 107 in Mumbai — and the winner of this tie could potentially seal a semifinal berth.

The Aiden Markram-led South Africa showed tenacity in its previous match, counter-punching its way out of trouble after being reduced to 20 for three. David Miller and Dewald Brevis led the recovery before Tristan Stubbs gave the final flourish. The bowlers then picked apart the Indian batting line-up with surgical precision.

The morale-boosting win and familiarity with the conditions — it will be Proteas’ fifth match at this ground in this edition — should give the 2024 edition’s runner-up the edge. At the same time, the Rainbow Nation must be wary of the two-time champion. The West Indies, led by Shai Hope, appears to be in contention for the big prize again, a scenario not many would have predicted at the start of the tournament.

Its strength lies in its batting, which packs a punch. The line-up is stacked with power-hitters, as evidenced by the fact that the West Indies leads the sixes chart (55) in the showpiece. The afternoon match will be played on a red-soil surface that offers true bounce and produces big totals. In such a case, it could play into the hands of Hope’s men.

While both teams aim to extend their winning streaks, the contest will also be keenly followed by India, as the outcome could influence the Men in Blue’s path to the last-four stage.

Former India cricketer Harbhajan Singh was relieved to see Abhishek Sharma regaining his fitness, stating that the swashbuckling opener’s presence will help India neutralise Pakistan’s unorthodox spinner Usman Tariq in their T20 World Cup match in Himank Negi Colombo on Sunday (February 15, 2026).

Off-spinner Tariq’s outing against Indian batters at the Premadasa will be keenly watched because of the pause ahead of delivery and slinging action.

“See, he’s someone that I have seen him bowl in ILT20, where he was a pick of the bowlers. Whenever he got the opportunity to play in the semifinal and the final, he was the man-of-the-match. He is different from the other spinners and has a lot of variations,” Harbhajan told PTI.

“People are talking about him for his stand and deliver action. It’s not easy. You know, anybody can stand and bowl, but you’ve got to have different variations, which he’s got and he’s hard to hit in bigger grounds and slower pitches.

“So, all I want to say is that be a little bit mindful when you’re playing against someone whom you have never faced before. India can tackle him and not give him any big wicket. It’s good to see Abhishek coming back, who plays spin really well and dominates (spin), throughout his innings,” he added.

But what exactly is that Abhishek, who has recovered from a stomach bug that forced him to skip the match against Namibia in New Delhi, brings on to the table against spinners? “Abhishek is a quality player. He is a player who is determined to win the match on his own. I have played a lot of cricket. I know that he is a proper batsman who has all the shots.

“A lot of batsmen do not have all the shots. He (Abhishek) is not like that. He hits the first ball. And as long as he is on the crease, he keeps hitting. So, he is a proper batsman,” he noted.

Harbhajan also exhorted the teams to put behind the unsavoury build-up to Sunday’s match and concentrate on the game.

“Of course, there were a lot of hurdles before this game, whether this game will happen or not. But all that is done. Now, the focus should be on cricket, which is the main part. Of course, I’m hoping that India will play well in this game.

“Pakistan is also a very strong team, especially in these conditions with their spinners bowling really well. So, I think it’s going to be a great game to watch,” he said.

The spinner, who has 711 International wickets, also opined that people should not unnecessarily fret over formalities like handshakes at the toss or after the match.

“That is entirely the player’s wish. It is not written in any book that after a match, a handshake should be done or a hug should be given. So, play the match. Play with all your strength.

“If you feel that after that the handshake should be done or a hug should be given…it’s fine. If we talk about Australia and England players, they sit together after the match. Cricket should be seen as cricket,” he said.

The 45-year-old hoped that the Premadasa will produce a high-quality match with an equal contest between bat and ball.

“If there is a little grass on it, then the seamers will also come in handy. This field is bigger than the rest of the fields and the pitch here is usually good for the batsmen. If there is an India-Pakistan match here, the curators will also want some runs.

“And we hope that it will be such a pitch that in which the batsmen will also do well and a little help there will be for the fast bowlers and spinners. So, it is necessary to have a battle of bat and ball,” said Harbhajan.