Will West Indies pluck Proteas?

Tristan Stubbs aimed a long look at a spot somewhere above his left shoulder, and had a think. How, he had been asked, would taking on West Indies differ from playing India?

It was two days after South Africa exploded the myth of the Indians' invincibility with a 76-run demolition in their T20 World Cup Super Eights game at the Narendra Modi Stadium on Sunday, and two days before the game against West Indies at the same venue on Thursday.

"They're a really good batting side," Stubbs said eventually. "We saw in the [T20I] series [in South Africa last month] how they posted massive scores; all their batters are in really good form. They bring that challenge along with an attack that's doing really well.

"So it's different to India, but it's also a similar challenge. We've prepped very similarly to the India game and we'll be up for it."

Keshav Maharaj was asked the same question on Wednesday. "It's a huge game for us because we know if we get over the line it should give us qualification into the semifinals," he said.

"West Indies have a way of turning up in these events. They've got some batters in form and some bowlers who are fighting for them, so it's about making sure we're clear in what we're trying to do and focus solely on our execution."

Note the subtle progression. On Tuesday, the South Africans were fully focused on their next game. A day later, they still were - but with an eye on the prize of reaching the knockout stage.

It would have taken a while for them to process the significance of beating India in India. Especially when they were written off to the extent that, after their win over the United Arab Emirates in Delhi last Wednesday, an Indian reporter asked Dewald Brevis what "needs to be done for the South African team to stand a chance of winning" against the home side.

Believing your own bumptiousness is never a good idea, and South Africa would do well not to follow that reporter's example. It seems they won't.

"Coming back [to the team hotel] after the win against India, there was a real energy and charge throughout the camp," Maharaj said. "We beat probably the best side in the competition. But we're not getting carried away, because West Indies are a very strong side, a very dangerous side."

Indeed. In the T20I series in South Africa that Stubbs referred to, West Indies made 173/7 at Boland Park, a low-scoring venue, before reeling off 221/4 in Centurion, and 114/3 at the Wanderers where rain reduced the innings to 10 overs. But South Africa won the first two matches and lost the third by a scant six runs even though they scored four more than their opponents. Such is DLS.

Whereas Sunday's match was played on a black soil service, which is meant to aid spin, Thursday's will be staged on a red soil pitch - which helps the seamers. Not that that seems to make a difference for the South Africans in Ahmedabad.

They played Canada here on a surface of mixed red and black clay, then the Afghans on red soil, New Zealand on another red pitch, and India on the black soil version. Small wonder Maharaj paid the issue little heed.

"I'm still trying to understand the difference," he said. "I just try to adapt on the day and see what it's giving you. It's nice to not have had to travel [except for the Delhi match], but from a pitch point of view every game has been very different. Conditions have played differently, so I don't see [familiarity with Ahmedabad as] too much of an advantage."

Maharaj seemed more interested in the fact that "it's our first three o'clock start [of the tournament], so it's about adapting sooner rather than later".

The West Indians have played two Tests and 10 ODIs at the Narendra Modi Stadium, but never a T20I. Still, like the South Africans they are unbeaten in this tournament. And they know how to steal the spotlight.

"Everybody wants to perform at the World Cup," batting coach Floyd Reifer said. "It's important for the guys to bring some beautiful performances to the world stage, where everybody's watching. Our energy is great and everybody's up for it. We came here to play good cricket and that's what we've been doing."

If anyone can pluck the Proteas, it's West Indies.