The first T20 World Cup semi-final match will be played today between South Africa and New Zealand. The match will start at 7:00 PM at Eden Gardens Stadium in Kolkata, while the toss will be at 6:30 PM. This will be the sixth encounter between the two teams in World Cup history. South Africa has won all previous five matches. However, both teams will face each other for the first time in a semi-final. South Africa has remained undefeated in this tournament and hasn’t lost a single match. Meanwhile, New Zealand has suffered two defeats. The first one against South Africa in the group stage and the second against England in Super-8. South Africa lead against New Zealand The first T20 International match between New Zealand and South Africa was played in 2005. A total of 19 matches have been played between the two teams so far. During this time, the Proteas team has won 12 matches, while the Kiwi team has won 7 matches. The last T20 match between the two teams was played in this World Cup itself, which South Africa won by 7 wickets. New Zealand in fifth, South Africa in fourth semi-final New Zealand team has reached the T20 World Cup semi-finals for the fifth time. Previously, they made it to the final four in 2007, 2016, 2021 and 2022, but they managed to win only once in these four occasions. Meanwhile, South Africa is playing in the semi-finals for the fourth time. Previously, they had reached this stage in 2009, 2014, and 2024. Among these, in 2024 they won the semi-final to reach the final for the first time. Top performers of SA in T20 WC 2026 In this T20 World Cup, captain Aiden Markram has been the top batsman for South Africa. He has scored 268 runs in 7 matches. His best score is 86* and his strike rate is 175.16. Meanwhile, fast bowler Lungi Ngidi is doing wonders in bowling. He has taken 12 wickets in 6 matches. His best performance has been 4/31 and his economy rate is 6.87. Kagiso Rabada has also returned to form. He took 2 wickets against West Indies. Top performers of NZ in T20 WC 2026 Tim Seifert has been New Zealand’s key batsman in T20 World Cup 2026. He has scored 216 runs in 7 matches. His best score is 89* and strike rate is 157.66. Meanwhile, left-arm spinner Rachin Ravindra is playing an important role in bowling. He has taken 9 wickets in 7 matches. His best performance is 4/27 and economy rate is 6.76. Pitch report and records Eden Gardens pitch is considered favorable for batsmen. 6 matches have been played here in this World Cup so far. Out of these, teams batting first have won 4 matches, while teams chasing have won 2 matches. In 4 out of these 6 matches, scores of 170+ have been made. 18 T-20 International matches have been played in Kolkata so far. Teams batting first have won 9 matches and teams chasing have also won 9 matches. The best team score here is 207/4, which Scotland made against Italy. No chance of rain in Kolkata The weather in Kolkata is expected to be completely clear on Wednesday. There are no chances of rain. Temperature may remain between 22 to 33 degrees Celsius. Probable playing XI of both teams South Africa: Aiden Markram (Captain), Quinton de Kock (Wicketkeeper), Ryan Rickelton, Dewald Brevis, David Miller, Tristan Stubbs, George Linde, Corbin Bosch, Anrich Nortje, Keshav Maharaj and Lungi Ngidi. New Zealand: Finn Allen, Tim Seifert (Wicketkeeper), Rachin Ravindra, Glenn Phillips, Mark Chapman, Daryl Mitchell, Mitchell Santner (Captain), Cole McConchie, Matt Henry, Ish Sodhi and Lockie Ferguson. Where can you watch the match? The live streaming of this match will be on Star Sports. It can also be watched on JioHotstar app. You can also follow the live coverage of the match on Bhaskar English app. Post navigation Will India-South Africa feature in consecutive finals?:Pakistan, Sri Lanka achieved this feat earlier; IND defeated SA in 2024 season
