New Zealand national cricket team will take on South Africa national cricket team in the first semifinal of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 at Eden Gardens on Wednesday as the tournament enters its knockout stage. South Africa enter the knockout stage unbeaten and appear determined to go one step further after finishing runners-up in the previous edition, where they lost the final to India. Led by Aiden Markram, the Proteas have been one of the most consistent teams in the tournament and already defeated New Zealand convincingly during the group stage. New Zealand, however, will look to bounce back after a recent setback against England. The Black Caps are familiar with Indian conditions and will hope the Kolkata surface suits their batting lineup.
KolkataWeather Forecast
Weather conditions in Kolkata are expected to be clear during the evening. The temperature is likely to hover around 28°C with humidity around 29 percent, making for favorable playing conditions.
Eden Gardens Pitch Report
Eden Gardens is expected to provide a balanced surface for both batters and bowlers. However, evening dew could influence the game and favor the team batting second. The average first-innings score at the venue in recent matches has been around 180, and captains may prefer to field first if they win the toss.
Squads:
South Africa Squad: Aiden Markram(c), Quinton de Kock(w), Ryan Rickelton, Dewald Brevis, David Miller, Tristan Stubbs, George Linde, Corbin Bosch, Anrich Nortje, Kwena Maphaka, Lungi Ngidi, Kagiso Rabada, Marco Jansen, Keshav Maharaj, Jason Smith
New Zealand Squad: Tim Seifert(w), Finn Allen, Rachin Ravindra, Glenn Phillips, Mark Chapman, Daryl Mitchell, Mitchell Santner(c), Cole McConchie, Matt Henry, Ish Sodhi, Lockie Ferguson, Jacob Duffy, James Neesham, Kyle Jamieson, Devon Conway
Probable Playing XIs
New Zealand Probable XI: Tim Seifert (wk), Finn Allen, Rachin Ravindra, Glenn Phillips, Daryl Mitchell, Mark Chapman, Mitchell Santner (c), Cole McConchie/James Neesham, Matt Henry/Jacob Duffy, Ish Sodhi, Lockie Ferguson
South Africa Probable XI: Aiden Markram (c), Quinton de Kock (wk), Ryan Rickelton, Dewald Brevis, David Miller, Tristan Stubbs, Marco Jansen, Corbin Bosch, Kagiso Rabada, Keshav Maharaj, Lungi Ngidi
Broadcast details
Fans in India can watch the match live on the Star Sports Network. Streaming will be available on the JioHotstar app and website with a subscription.
Match Details
Match: South Africa vs. New Zealand, Semifinal 1, ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026
Date: Wednesday, March 4, 2026
Time: 7 p.m. IST (1:30 p.m. GMT)
Venue: Eden Gardens, Kolkata