South Africa and New Zealand meet in the 1st Semi-Final of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 at the iconic Eden Gardens in Kolkata on Wednesday, 4 March 2026.
This is the first knockout contest in the tournament, and both teams arrive knowing they are just one win away from the final in Ahmedabad on March 8. South Africa entered the tournament as the only unbeaten team, having won all seven matches across the group stage and the Super 8s.
New Zealand will aim to rewrite history and earn its first T20 World Cup title.
SA vs NZ Match Preview
| Details | Information |
|---|---|
| Match | SA vs NZ, ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026, 1st Semi-Final |
| Date | 04 March 2026 |
| Time | 7:00 PM IST / 1:30 PM GMT |
| Venue | Eden Gardens, Kolkata, India |
| Series | ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 |
| Context | SA 7-0 in the tournament, NZ’s first T20 WC knockout vs SA |
Pitch Report
| Aspect | Details |
|---|---|
| Pitch Type | Batting-friendly, flat with good pace and bounce |
| Average 1st Innings Score | Around 182 in T20Is at this venue in 2026 |
| Pace vs Spin | Pace gets early movement, spin effective mid-innings |
| Toss Factor | Chasing has been preferred at this venue in 2026 |
| Dew Factor | Dew likely under lights, benefits batting side second |
Weather Report
| Condition | Details |
|---|---|
| Temperature | 33°C (afternoon), 24°C (evening, match time) |
| Sky | Clear, no cloud cover |
| Rain Chance | 0%, no interruptions expected |
| Humidity | Around 29% |
| Overall | Perfect conditions for a full-match T20 contest |
Toss Prediction
Chasing teams have done well at Eden Gardens in the 2026 T20 World Cup. The flat pitch makes second-innings chasing feasible, and the dew that settles under the lights makes bowling harder for the fielding team in the later overs. Both captains, Markram and Santner, acknowledged before the match that the toss may not be the decisive factor, given the balanced nature of the surface.
However, given the dew factor and the strong chasing record at this venue during the tournament, the captain winning the toss is expected to choose to bowl first. Setting a target and applying early bowling pressure is the preferred approach here. Expect the toss winner to elect to field.
Dream11 Team For SA vs NZ
SA vs NZ Head-to-Head Records in the T20 World Cup
| Category | Stats |
|---|---|
| Total T20 World Cup Meetings | 5 |
| South Africa Wins (T20 WC) | 5 |
| New Zealand Wins (T20 WC) | 0 |
Suggested Reads:
Top Picks For The Match
| Player | Key Points |
|---|---|
| Aiden Markram (SA) | 268 runs, SR 175+, 32 runs from 300 at a single T20 WC, in devastating form |
| Tim Seifert (NZ) | 295 runs this tournament, avg 36.88, SR 157.75, NZ’s most consistent batter |
| Lungi Ngidi (SA) | 12 wickets at economy 6.87, SA’s leading wicket-taker in this tournament |
| Ryan Rickelton (SA) | 228 runs in the tournament, strong anchor alongside Markram at the top |
| Lockie Ferguson (NZ) | Hard-hitting pace attack, key to rattling SA’s top order with raw speed |
