KOLKATA: The first semi-final of the ICC T20 World Cup will be played today in Kolkata between South Africa and New Zealand.
South Africa enters the semi-finals as an unbeaten team in the tournament. In the first round, South Africa won all four of its matches, defeating New Zealand, Afghanistan, the United Arab Emirates, and Canada. During the Super Eight stage, South Africa also managed to defeat India, the West Indies, and Zimbabwe.
Despite their flawless run, South Africa’s team has a notable flaw—they tend to lose their momentum in knockout rounds, often being eliminated from the tournament despite being the favorites.
On the other hand, New Zealand, which won three matches in the first round, had a mixed performance in the Super Eight stage, with one win, one loss, and one match that ended in a no result.
New Zealand’s strength lies in its abundance of all-rounders, including Daryl Mitchell, Glenn Phillips, Mitchell Santner, Mark Chapman, and Michael Bracewell, who are key contributors to the team’s balance and depth.
