Kolkata, March 04, 2026 (Udaipur Kiran) — The first semi-final of the T20 World Cup will be played today between South Africa and New Zealand at Eden Gardens in Kolkata. The match will begin at 7:00 pm, while the toss is scheduled for 6:30 pm.
This will be the sixth meeting between the two teams in T20 World Cup history, and South Africa have won all the previous five encounters. However, this will be the first time both sides face each other in a semi-final.
South Africa have remained unbeaten in the tournament so far and have not lost a single match. In contrast, New Zealand have suffered two defeats in the competition — one against South Africa in the group stage and another against England in the Super 8 stage.
Overall, the two teams have played 19 T20 Internationals since their first meeting in 2005. South Africa have won 12 matches, while New Zealand have won seven. Their most recent clash was earlier in the same World Cup, where South Africa secured a seven-wicket victory.
New Zealand have reached the T20 World Cup semi-finals for the fifth time, after previously making the last four in 2007, 2016, 2021 and 2022. However, they managed to win only once from those four semi-final appearances.
South Africa, meanwhile, are playing their fourth semi-final in the tournament. They earlier reached this stage in 2009, 2014 and 2024. In 2024, they won the semi-final and entered the final for the first time.
South African captain Aiden Markram has been the team’s leading run-scorer in the tournament. He has scored 268 runs in seven matches with a best score of 86 not out and a strike rate of 175.16. Fast bowler Lungi Ngidi has taken 12 wickets in six matches, with best figures of 4/31 and an economy rate of 6.87. Kagiso Rabada has also returned to form, taking two wickets against West Indies.
For New Zealand, Tim Seifert has been a key batter with 216 runs in seven matches. His highest score is 89 not out with a strike rate of 157.66. Left-arm spinner Rachin Ravindra has taken nine wickets in seven matches, with best figures of 4/27 and an economy rate of 6.76.
The pitch at Eden Gardens is expected to assist batters. So far in this World Cup, six matches have been played at the venue, with four won by the team batting first and two by the chasing side. In four of those games, teams scored more than 170 runs.
A total of 18 T20 Internationals have been played at the venue in Kolkata. Teams batting first and teams chasing have both won nine matches each. The highest team score here is 207/4, recorded by Scotland against Italy.
Weather conditions are expected to remain clear in Kolkata on Wednesday, with no chances of rain. The temperature may range between 22°C and 33°C.
The match will be broadcast live on Star Sports and will also be available for streaming on the JioHotstar app.
Bhupendra Singh Chundawat is a seasoned technology journalist with over 22 years of experience in the media industry. He specializes in covering the global technology landscape, with a deep focus on manufacturing trends and the geopolitical impact on tech companies. Currently serving as the Editor at Udaipur Kiran, his insights are shaped by decades of hands-on reporting and editorial leadership in the fast-evolving world of technology.
