ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026, 1st Semi-Final: SA vs NZ, head-to-head, pitch report and predicted playing XIs

South Africa is scheduled to face New Zealand in the first match of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026’s semi-finals at Eden Gardens, Kolkata, on March 3. South Africa has gone unbeaten so far and will look to win their second consecutive title, while New Zealand will look to step up their game and win this match to avenge their previous losses to these opponents.

South Africa have been the most consistent side in the tournament. South Africa has gone unbeaten in the group stages and carried this momentum to the Super Eights, winning dominating matches against India, the West Indies, and Zimbabwe. In their last match, they restricted Zimbabwe to 153, with Kwena Maphaka and Corbin Bosch picking up key wickets. The chase was completed comfortably in 17.5 overs, with Dewald Brevis’ quick 42 and Ryan Rickelton’s 31. The Proteas will now aim to continue their winning run and book a place in the final.

New Zealand enters this semi-final after a close four-wicket loss to England in their last Super Eight match. Batting first, they posted 159 in 20 overs, with Glenn Phillips scoring 39 and Tim Seifert adding 35. Although the bowlers tried to defend the total, England chased it down in 19.3 overs. Rachin Ravindra was the standout with the ball, taking three wickets for 19 runs. The Black Caps will now need a complete team effort to challenge South Africa in this high-pressure game.

SA vs NZ: Head-to-Head in T20Is

• Matches Played: 19
  
• South Africa Won: 12
  
• New Zealand Won: 7
  
• Tied: 0
  
• No Result: 0

SA vs NZ: Pitch Report

The pitch at Eden Gardens is expected to help the batters, just like in the previous match. Fast bowlers can get some early movement if they bowl at the right length. The conditions should be good, with even bounce and carry, allowing batters to play freely. As the match progresses, the spinners might also get some help, and a score of around 160-170 might be posted in the first innings.

See Also: IND vs ENG Today Match Tips: Safe Picks, Captain Choice & Toss Prediction

SA vs NZ: Predicted Playing XIs

South Africa (SA):

Quinton de Kock (wk), Ryan Rickelton, Aiden Markram (c), Dewald Brevis, David Miller, Tristan Stubbs, George Linde/Corbin Bosch, Keshav Maharaj, Marco Jansen, Kagiso Rabada, Lungi Ngidi

New Zealand (NZ):

Tim Seifert (wk), Finn Allen, Rachin Ravindra, Glenn Phillips, Mark Chapman, Daryl Mitchell, Mitchell Santner (c), Cole McConchie, Matt Henry, Ish Sodhi, Lockie Ferguson