New Delhi: South Africa will take on New Zealand in the first semi-final of the 2026 T20 World Cup at the iconic Eden Gardens in Kolkata on Wednesday. The Proteas enter the knockout stages unbeaten and full of confidence after dominating the Super 8 competition.
Aiden Markram’s side started their season with a win against defending champions India to take 76 wins. They then easily beat the two-time champions West Indies by nine wickets. The Proteas ended the Super 8 stage with a narrow victory over Zimbabwe, cementing their reputation as one of the best teams in the tournament.
New Zealand, led by Mitchell Santner, had a mixed performance in the Super 8s. They were eliminated in the first game against Pakistan, but they made a comeback with a 61-run win over Sri Lanka. A narrow defeat to England in their final group game meant they progressed with three points and a strong margin of victory, setting up an interesting clash in the semi-finals.
T20 World Cup Semi-finals South Africa vs New Zealand: Head to Head
This semi-final is the sixth time South Africa and New Zealand have met in the T20 World Cup. Historically, South Africa have dominated this competition and the Black Caps are yet to beat the Proteas in a World Cup match.
2007 Quarter-Final: South Africa won by 6 wickets.
2009 T20 World Cup: South Africa narrowly beat New Zealand by just one run in an exciting match.
2010 T20 World Cup: Proteas win by 13 runs in Birmingham.
2014 T20 World Cup: Black Caps narrowly won by 2 runs.
2026 Group Stage: South Africa beat New Zealand by 7 wickets in Ahmedabad.
The record is clearly in favor of the Proteas, but the pressure of a semi-final always brings surprises.
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T20 World Cup Semi-finals SA vs New Zealand: Weather Forecast
Kolkata is expected to provide sunny and hot weather for the semi-finals. The maximum temperature will reach 33°C and the minimum temperature will reach 19°C. There will be little rain during the day or night, with light west winds at 6 mph. The humidity is about 29% and the UV index is expected to be as high as 8.
T20 World Cup Semi-finals South Africa vs New Zealand: Pitch Report
The Eden Gardens pitch was dry and batting friendly, with an average score of 182 in the first innings. While the pacers have taken more wickets of late (44 to 31 against spinners), real bounce and a fast outfield favoring the batting game suggests high-scoring encounters are possible.
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T20 World Cup Semi-finals South Africa vs New Zealand: Predicted Lineups
South Africa (predicted XI): Aiden Markram (centre), Quinton de Kock (female), Ryan Rickton, Dewald Blevis, David Miller, Tristan Stubbs, George Linde, Corbin Boss, Anrich Nortje, Quina Mafaka, Lungi Ngidi
New Zealand (predicted XI): Tim Seifert (female), Finn Allen, Rachin Ravindra, Glenn Phillips, Daryl Mitchell, Mark Chapman, Mitchell Santner (centre), Cole McConchie, Matt Henry, Ish Sodhi, Locke Ferguson
T20 World Cup Semi-finals South Africa vs New Zealand: Lineup
South Africa: Aiden Markram (centre), Quinton de Kock, Dewald Blevis, David Miller, Marco Janssen, Keshav Maharaj, Kagiso Rabada, Quina Mafaka, Lungi Ngidi, Jason Smith, George Linde, Corbin Boss, Anrich Notje, Tristan Stubbs, Ryan Rickton
New Zealand: Mitchell Santner (centre), Finn Allen, Mark Chapman, Devin Conway, Jacob Duffy, Locke Ferguson, Matt Henry, Daryl Mitchell, James Neesham, Glenn Phillips, Lachin Ravindra, Tim Seifert, Ish Sodhi, Kyle Jamieson, Cole McConchie
