South Africa have become the team to beat in the ongoing ICC T20 World Cup 2026. They have a winning streak of seven matches and are one win away from making it to the second consecutive final. South Africa will have New Zealand in front of them in the first semifinal. This contest will be live from Eden Gardens in Kolkata on March 4 (Wednesday) at 7 PM IST. South Africa have all the bases covered.
For winning a tournament, you need bowlers who can take wickets. South Africa have three bowlers in the top five wicket-takers in the tournament so far. But the challenge for them will be the change of conditions, as South Africa have played their games in Ahmedabad and Delhi. On the other hand, New Zealand have ups and downs in their campaign. They lost to England in the previous game after a tactical blunder in the death overs. But they are professional and they are known for performing well under pressure.
SA vs NZ: Match Info.
·Series: ICC T20 World Cup 2026
·Match: South Africa vs New Zealand, Semi-final 1, Super 8
·Venue: Eden Gardens, Kolkata
·Time: 7:00 PM IST
·Date: March 04, 2026 (Wednesday)
SA vs NZ: Head-to-Head: SA (12) – NZ (7)
The upcoming game will be the 20th game between these two sides in the shorter format. South Africa have managed to grab 12 wins, whereas New Zealand have been victorious seven times.
SA vs NZ: Pitch Report
Eden Gardens will have early seam movement with the new ball. However, the best time to bowl will be in the first innings, whereas there will be some grip in the lateral stages. But the dew can be a problem, and it becomes hard to defend. That is why it is important to score a big total in the first innings. It is a high-scoring venue, and shorter boundaries invite the batters to go big.
SA vs NZ: Live Streaming Details
·TV: Star Sports Network
·Digital: Jio Hotstar (App or Website)
SA vs NZ: Weather Report
The weather forecast for Wednesday evening in Kolkata will be clear with 42 percent humidity. The temperature is likely to be around 26°C with a moderate wind speed of 9 km/h.
SA vs NZ: Last Five Results
New Zealand: L, W, NR, W, L
South Africa: W, W, W, W, W
South Africa vs New Zealand: Predicted XIs:
South Africa: A, Markram (c), R. Rickelton, Q. de Kock (wk), D. Miller, D. Brevis, T. Stubbs, C. Bosch, M. Jansen, K. Rabada, K. Maharaj, L. Ngidi
New Zealand: T. Seifert (wk), F. Allen, R. Ravindra, G. Phillips, D. Mitchell, M. Chapman, M. Santner (c), J. Neesham, M. Henry, J. Duffy, L. Ferguson
SA vs NZ: Players to Watch out for
New Zealand: Glenn Phillips had an unwanted memory against England, and his last over became the difference-maker, where England pulled things in their favor. He will be eager to bounce back and is in good form to produce a match-winning performance.
South Africa: Aiden Markram scored an unbeaten 86 the last time these two teams played. He can do it once again. With the form he is in, he will be a dangerous batter at the top.
South Africa vs New Zealand Today’s Match Prediction: South Africa have managed to produce clinical performance so far. The biggest plus for them is their in-form pace attack. Lungi Ngidi, Marco Jansen, and Corbin Bosch are among the top five wicket-takers in the tournament. That is setting the tone for them. With the bat, the top three are firing in almost every game.
Then the middle order is also a contribution. The issue with New Zealand is that their batting is inconsistent. The conditions in Sri Lanka were different, and the wicket in Kolkata will be true. But their bowling is under par, and only Matt Henry has looked threatening. Hence, South Africa will start this contest as favorites.
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