🏏ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026: First Semi-Final- SA vs NZ🏏 - Page 15

SA 169/8 (20)

20:42 Local Time, 15:12 GMT, 20:42 IST: South Africa have definitely left at least 20 runs out there and this seems under par with the dew starting to set in.

Looks like NZ has more chance to be in finals

Cole McConchie: "We talked about it sort of the last couple of days, but it even got finalised sort of just before warm-ups (replying to when he got to know that he was playing). So nice to come out and contribute and kind of start the ball rolling there. I haven’t played here previously, so I talked to the boys, and it was just, you know, from the spin point of view, kind of bowl hard into the wicket and see if we could get a little bit of grip early, but the way that the South African boys struck it there at the end, hopefully it’s kind of flattening out and we’ve got a bit of a chase I think, obviously, you know, a few nerves (talking about the preparation for this game), World Cup semi-final, but nice to come and, yeah, coaches and staff saw a bit of a match-up there, so nice to come in and contribute. A couple of wickets is always a bonus and, yeah, start the boys off well. I think so (If New Zealand would have taken this score at the start of the game). I think, yeah, stats probably lead a little bit higher, but as you say, if you’ve got a great bowling attack, so we’re going to have to be on top of our game, but, yeah, we’ll take that at the start.”

50-plus partnerships for 6th wicket or lower in T20 WC playoffs

81* - Marcus Stoinis, Mathhew Wade (AUS) vs PAK, Dubai, 2021 SF

73 - Marco Jansen, Tristan Stubbs (SA) vs NZ, Kolkata, 2026 SF

68* - Angelo Mathews, Kumar Sangakkara (SL) vs PAK, Lord’s, 2009 Final

68 - George Bailey, Pat Cummins (AUS) vs WI, Colombo RPS, 2012 SF

54* - Carlos Brathwaite, Marlon Samuels (WI) vs ENG, Kolkata, 2016 Final

53* - Michael Hussey, Mitchell Johnson (AUS) vs PAK, Gros Islet, 2010 SF

Marco Jansen's 30-ball 55* has dragged South Africa to 169 after a stunning collapse saw them down at 77 for 5. The Eden Gardens pitch perhaps played a touch slower than we all expected, but with dew coming in, the big question will be if this is enough runs on the board. New Zealand dropped catches but they won most of the tactical battles. It started with Cole McConchie coming on to bowl the second over and removing the two left-handers in South Africa's top order. And for the most part, the rest of the bowlers also stuck to good plans and delivered. New Zealand's batters now need to go out and do the job. It may not be the easiest of chases, but they'll be happy with what they have in front of them.

South Africa have definitely left at least 20 runs out there and this seems under par with the dew starting to set in. 170 seems pretty chasable at the moment and if dew keeps coming, then it's only going to get better for batting. Blackcaps, gee! These guys are smart. South Africa had batters in fine striking form and just like that New Zealand removed two left-handed top order batters as easy as the second over. And that's all he bowled in the entire game. Markram and Brevis were rebuilding but that's when Rachin came on and troubled both right and left handed batters. Markram tried to take him on and holed out and interestingly, Miller, despite being a left-hander, struggled as he kept playing for turn and the ball kept hitting the outside part of his bat. Brevis chipped one straight to hand and just as New Zealand were bossing the show, Jansen led a fightback. Stubbs gave him company but Henry closed out the innings quite well. If not for Jansen, 160 looked tough for South Africa.

Jansen is the second to register a 50-plus score from No.7 or lower in a T20 WC knockout game, after Michael Hussey did that against Pakistan (60* off 24) in the 2010 semis at Gros Islet.

0.2

4

Marco Jansen to Tim Seifert, FOUR, wanted to play straight but it escaped off the outer half of the bat through cover-point.

NZ will be in finals...

I would have preferred SA over NZ if India wins SF

Because SA is good in batting but bowling can be still approachable and fielding too

But NZ has real never dying attitude - - batting, bowling and fielding is top notch...