MIRPUR: Hashim Amla is all too aware that the performance of the India spinners will go a long way to deciding the World Twenty20 semifinal against South Africa on Friday.

The challenge posed by leg-spinner Amit Mishra and off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin, who have each won two player-of-the-match awards so far in the tournament, compounds the threat already posed by India’s powerful batting lineup.

India entered the World T20 in the midst of a form slump but has peaked at the right time, and is the only unbeaten team.

South Africa also has a balanced lineup, including batsmen adept at playing spin, but will need to adjust quickly to the Sher-e-Bangla Stadium pitch, which has been playing slower and lower than the Chittagong wicket where the Proteas played their group games.

“The wickets in Chittagong had a bit more pace and bounce,” Amla said ahead of the match. “There is a bit of a difference here and that’s something we’ll have to look out for.” Also, while India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni is in line to hold all three ICC titles simultaneously since he led the team to the 2011 World Cup and the 2013 Champions Trophy, South Africa has almost always faltered at the knockout stage in big tournaments.

South Africa captain Faf du Plessis said that India has shown it can handle the pressure. .

“That (handling pressure) is something India has done very well over the past few days,” du Plessis said. “They have always been a team that does well in big tournaments.” The South Africa skipper said his team was working extra hard to prepare for spin.

“We’ve put in some really hard practice on really abrasive surfaces, making sure that we almost over-practiced against the ball that is turning too much,” du Plessis said.

Yuvraj Singh’s 43-ball 60 against Australia also gives confidence to Dhoni since the left-hander can decimate any bowling on his day.

Yuvraj, who missed a practice session Wednesday after a foot injury sustained during a football session, was hoping to also chip in with the ball despite the presence of another left-arm spinner in Ravindra Jadeja.

“The pitch has helped spinners more as the tournament has progressed,” Yuvraj said. “The wicket has been slow and I’m working hard on my bowling as well.” South Africa leg-spinner Imran Tahir, who has bagged 11 wickets in the tournament and has taken tips from Shane Warne, faces his biggest challenge in the tournament against the likes of Virat Kohli, Yuvraj Singh and Dhoni.

South Africa’s bowlers put up superb efforts to ensure two wins against New Zealand and the Netherlands and all-rouner J.P. Duminy hopes the team can repeat the performance against the 2007 champion.

“The ways to win a game out of nothing is definitely something we will take confidence from,” Duminy said. “But this is a new game It’s a big game — the semi-final of a World Cup. It doesn’t get bigger than this.”

Ashwin believes he has entered that phase of his career when he can skip practice and does not care if the ball in his hand is old or new.

Ashwin shared the new ball in two of India’s four successive victories, claiming man-of-the-match awards against Bangladesh and Australia.

Mahendra Singh Dhoni may once again toss the new ball to the 27-year-old spinner in Friday’s semi-final against South Africa and Ashwin said he was ready to play the role he often does for the Chennai team that Dhoni leads in the Indian Premier League.

“I’ve been playing alongside Mahi (Dhoni) for some time, and he probably knows where to use me and where not to use me. I’m always open to bowling in any situation, so for me it doesn’t make any difference,” Ashwin told reporters at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium on Thursday.

“In the last two or three months, I feel that I’m probably at the top of my bowling game. When I reach that phase, I pretty much don’t practise at all.

“That’s a phase I’m in right now. The ball is landing exactly where I want it.” Leg-spinner Amit Mishra has also been in superb form but Ashwin reckons South Africa will harness left-arm tweaker Aaron Phangiso with leggie Imran Tahir — the tournament’s second highest wicket-taker — in an attempt to cancel out India’s spin advantage.

“Imran Tahir has been in top form and I expect Phangiso to play. When that happens, you’re pretty much evened out on the number of spinners both teams will play. It comes down to how well your spinners handle it.”