 "South Africa vs New Zealand, T20 World Cup semifinal: All you need to know. AFP")
South Africa and New Zealand go up against each other for the second time in the T20 World Cup 2026, with the stakes now even higher than before. The two teams had met in the group stage, where the Proteas had earned a thumping victory, but now in the semi-final, pressure will be immense as it will be a knockout clash.
T20 World Cup 2026: News | Schedule | Results | Points Table
South Africa are currently the only team in the tournament who have remained unbeaten, while New Zealand are the only team in the last four with more than one loss to their name.
South Africa has crushed seven opponents so far in the competition, with big wins in all of those games except one against Afghanistan, which stretched to two Super Overs .
The Proteas had also defeated favourites India to flex their credentials as one of the strongest sides in the tournament.
Also Read | South Africa vs New Zealand semifinal prediction: Which team has the better chance to win?
New Zealand have blown hot and cold so far in this competition. They lost to South Africa in the group stage but attained victories over the other three opponents, including Afghanistan. They also beat co-hosts Sri Lanka in the Super 8s but lost to England. Their clash against Pakistan was abandoned and they reached the semi-finals thanks to their superior net run rate.
Even though on paper, South Africa look like a stronger team, anything can happen on the matchday. Here is all you need to know ahead of the South Africa vs New Zealand semi-final at the T20 World Cup.
Quick Reads
View AllSouth Africa vs New Zealand squads
New Zealand squad: Finn Allen, Tim Seifert (wk), Rachin Ravindra, Glenn Phillips, Daryl Mitchell, Michael Bracewell, Mitchell Santner(c), Kyle Jamieson, Ish Sodhi, Lockie Ferguson, Jacob Duffy, James Neesham, Matt Henry, Devon Conway, Mark Chapman
South Africa squad: 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, Jason Smith, George Linde, Anrich Nortje, Kwena Maphaka
South Africa vs New Zealand head-to-head
South Africa have big edge when it comes to their head-to-head record against New Zealand. The two teams have met 19 times in T20Is, with South Africa winning 12 of those matches. The BlackCaps only have seven wins.
In T20 World Cups, the difference is even starker, with New Zealand never having beaten the Proteas, who hold a 5-0 record in this match-up. In the group clash earlier in this tournament, Aiden Markram’s 86 helped the Proteas win the match with 17 balls still in hand.
SA vs NZ: Day, date, time and venue
South Africa vs New Zealand, the T20 World Cup 2026’s first semi-final takes place at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata on Wednesday, 4 March, with the match starting from 7:00 PM IST.
South Africa vs New Zealand Live Streaming
JioHotstar app and website will live stream South Africa vs New Zealand, the T20 World Cup first semi-final in India. Start Sports Network channels will broadcast the match on TV in India.