Little to choose in battle of table-toppers at Eden

At a venue where scoring hasn't always been easy, all eyes will be on whether India or SA break first

- Somshuvra Laha

The business end of a World Cup can be a tricky time once the semi-final is guaranteed. But there can be no let-up in resolve, not when India are presented with a delicious possibility of carrying through momentum and confidence from Eden Gardens.

India are two wins away from a perfect run into the knockouts. And since they have been there in 2019 but not done that - it was 7-1 in the league phase, the only loss coming against England India would like to tick that box. Bragging rights isn't the biggest peg to this match. And so transient are the highs and lows in white-ball cricket that the repercussions of Sunday's blockbuster are not expected to influence India's knockouts destiny. But this surely has shaped up to be a dress rehearsal of the real deal.

Temba Bavuma summed up what is at stake for India and South Africa on Sunday. "You got two teams who are in form coming up against each other. I think it's just a matter of who breaks first and who's able to, I guess, exploit that moment or that weakness," said the South Africa captain on Saturday. "We understand that there will be pressure moments within the World Cup, moments that we've overcome to get to this point, and there will still be more..