The good thing about South Africa-New Zealand semi-finals is it gives neutrals at least one team to cheer for in the final. Two generally likeable sides who have – somehow – yet to lift an ICC white-ball trophy between them since 2000 vie for yet one more crack at it, as they look to edge each other out. South Africa’s heartache in these tournaments is well-documented, but New Zealand make semi-finals more consistently than any other side over the past two decades, and are yet to string the two matches together from this stage onwards that would propel them to glory.There is, often, little to choose between these two but, this time around, a clear favourite has emerged. South Africa are unbeaten this tournament, and that includes a trouncing of New Zealand in the group stages. They have played all their games in India, which has allowed them to make full use of their fast bowlers without needing to turn to spin in any extensive way, which plays into their strengths.With 268 runs at a strike-rate of 175, captain Aiden Markram has been arguably the best opener in the tournament, while a middle- and lower-order comprising Dewald Brevis, David Miller, Tristan Stubbs and Marco Jansen is the envy of any side in the competition. In Jansen, Corbin Bosch, Kagiso Rabada and Lungi Ngidi – the highest wicket-taker remaining in the tournament – they have high pace as well as great variety, with Keshav Maharaj getting through the spin overs. It is hard to imagine how South Africa could have covered all bases more comprehensively.New Zealand’s campaign has proved much less straightforward, and it is harder to gauge the true nature of their quality and their ability to contend for this title. They beat Afghanistan, Canada and the UAE through the group stages, before a washout against Pakistan and defeat to England left them relying on an external result to qualify. They owe their place in the last four to a commanding win over Sri Lanka, one which had its own hiccups along the way.They have had to adjust, though, playing their group matches in India before going off to Sri Lanka for the Super Eight. They are back in India again, with Kolkata the venue for the semi-final, which will likely see them pull back their use of spin and turn to the quicker bowlers again. Their strength is a gun top-order, with Finn Allen and Tim Seifert in consistently explosive form, and great flexibility with the ball thanks to a surfeit of allrounders, a deep batting order, and fast bowlers than can neatly blend back into the side for spinners without disrupting the balance of the line-up.
Both sides have been knocking on the door for silverware for long enough. Once more, they chip away at it in the hope that this time, their efforts will be enough to blow the house down.
New Zealand: LWWLW (last five completed matches, most recent first)
South Africa: WWWWW
Rachin Ravindra was the stand-out player in Lahore last year, the last time these two sides met in an ICC semi-final at the 2025 Champions Trophy. He scored a century that set New Zealand on its way before keeping things tight with the ball. At this tournament, he played a central two-in-one role for New Zealand in the Super Eight in Colombo where the ball gripped and stopped, but on the flatter strips of Eden Gardens it is with the bat that he will be more important to New Zealand. Ravindra has a phenomenally good ICC record, but at this tournament, his batting hasn’t quite clicked in the same way. All that can be put to rest facing a team against whom he has enjoyed big-match success.Aiden Markram has towered over almost any other batter at this tournament, and is the highest run-scorer among sides still alive. He saved his best innings for the game against New Zealand in the groups, pulverising an unbeaten 86 off 44 to seal a comfortable win. It is one of three destructive half-centuries he has scored at this World Cup. His clean aerial hitting through the powerplay has proven almost impossible to counter for bowlers when in this kind of form, especially if he cannot be snared early, as India and Zimbabwe recently managed. Markram has also demonstrated his ability to rise to the biggest of occasions, as evidenced by his fourth-innings hundred in the World Test Championship final against Australia last year. A semi-final here is unlikely to overawe him.Matt Henry arrives in Kolkata tonight after returning home for the birth of his second child. He will not train, but is likely to line up in the XI on Wednesday. With New Zealand returning to the less spin-friendly India, Ish Sodhi might make way for Jimmy Neesham.
New Zealand: 1 Tim Seifert (wk), 2 Finn Allen, 3 Rachin Ravindra, 4 Glenn Phillips, 5 Mark Chapman, 6 Daryl Mitchell, 7 Mitchell Santner (capt), 8 Cole McConchie/Jacob Duffy, 9 Jimmy Neesham, 10 Matt Henry, 11 Lockie Ferguson
South Africa’s top seven is set in stone. On a pitch as flat as Kolkata’s, they are unlikely to go with any more than one spinner.
South Africa: 1 Quinton de Kock (wk), 2 Aiden Markram (capt), 3 Ryan Rickelton, 4 Dewald Brevis, 5 David Miller, 6 Tristan Stubbs, 7 Marco Jansen, 8 Corbin Bosch, 9 Kagiso Rabada, 10 Keshav Maharaj, 11 Lungi Ngidi
The strip used for the semi-final is of a darker shade, which, theoretically, means it should be somewhat conducive to spin bowling. Both captains were coy about whether chasing or defending was the better strategy, suggesting the toss may not necessarily play a significant role. However, some dew in the evening is not out of the question, which will likely influence the decision at the toss. A warm evening is expected in Kolkata, with no chance of rain.
“Watching Pakistan-Sri Lanka was pretty tough, pretty nervy. I had a few of the boys in my room and I had to leave because it was pretty tough.”
New Zealand captain Mitchell Santner on watching from the sidelines to see if his team would make the semi-finals.
“It’s always a great effort to win a Test series and I was proud to be part of it. Obviously, there are a lot of guys who were not there who are part of the white-ball set-up. They would have watched it and seen cricket as a whole is trending in a good direction in South Africa and now, with a World Cup, it’s a good time to be part of it.”
Aiden Markram reflects on the tone South Africa’s WTC win may have set for belief in the camp.
