SA vs NZ, Semi-final 1, Cricket Tips: The first semi-final of the ICC T20 World Cup 2026 will be played between South Africa and New Zealand. This contest will be held at Eden Gardens in Kolkata on Wednesday, starting at 7 PM IST. South Africa have beaten all the opposition they have faced so far, including a win over New Zealand in the group stage.
The Proteas have been on point in every area, and they have players in good form. So, can New Zealand produce something special, an effort to outclass the Proteas? It is possible, as South Africa have played most of their games in Kolkata, and it will be a change of venue. Similarly, New Zealand will also be back in India after spending a week or so in Sri Lanka. But both sides have been pretty clinical, and fans expect a close contest.
SA vs NZ: Match Details
Date: March 04, 2026 (Wednesday)
Time: 7:00 PM IST
Venue: Eden Gardens, Kolkata
SA vs NZ Live Streaming Details
The live action of the SA vs NZ game will be available on the Star Sports Networks on cable TV. Fans can also watch the game on the live stream through the Jio Hotstar platform.
SA vs NZ Head-to-Head in T20Is
Total Matches: 19
South Africa: 12
New Zealand: 07
No-Result: 00
SA vs NZ: Ground Pitch Report
Eden Gardens has been a great venue for the batter. This is a six-hitting venue, where India chased down 196 a few days back against West Indies. There will be dew, and bowling will be difficult in the second innings. Hence, the toss will be important, and batting second will be an advantage.
SA vs NZ Possible XIs
South Africa: Quinton de Kock (wk), Aiden Markram (c), Ryan Rickelton, David Miller, Dewald Brevis, Tristan Stubbs, Marco Jansen, Kagiso Rabada, Corbin Bosch, Keshav Maharaj, Lungi Ngidi
New Zealand: Finn Allen, Tim Seifert (wk), Rachin Ravindra, Glenn Phillips, Daryl Mitchell, Mark Chapman, Mitchell Santner (c), James Neesham, Lockie Ferguson, Matt Henry, Jacob Duffy
SA vs NZ: Player to Watch Out For
Probable Best Batter
Tim Seifert has been in great form and is the top scorer for New Zealand. His ability to take on the bowlers will be key here. For South Africa, captain Aiden Markram has been scoring and is making sure that his team gets a good start.
Probable Best Bowler
Lungi Ngidi has been brilliant with his slower ones, and batters are finding it hard to pick him. For New Zealand, Matt Henry has been the game-changer. He takes wickets with the new ball, with his variations.
Today Match Prediction: New Zealand can't be taken lightly, as they look like a very complete team in both departments. But South Africa are in red-hot form, and we predict them to win the first semifinal.
Disclaimer: The prediction or cricket tips are purely based on the understanding and research of the writer. So kindly make sure to consider the points above while making your predictions.
