South Africa (SA) are all set to face New Zealand (NZ) in the first semi-final in the 2026 T20 World Cup at Eden Gardens, Kolkata, on Wednesday, March 4.

The Proteas are the only unbeaten team in the tournament so far. They won four games in the group stage and three more in the Super 8. South Africa did suffer a scare in their last game against Zimbabwe but wouldn’t want to read too much into it as they had rested some of their premier players for the inconsequential clash.

On the other hand, Mitchell Santner has led New Zealand commendably. The Kiwis have not fired on all cylinders, having lost matches against South Africa and England. However, they do have what it takes to give the Proteas a run for their money.

New Zealand and South Africa met each other earlier in the tournament. Aiden Markram and Co. won the match in Ahmedabad by seven wickets.

SA vs NZ Match Details

Eden Gardens, Kolkata: Pitch Report

The iconic venue is expected to offer a balanced surface, where batters will mostly thrive but bowlers would also have something in their favour. While Eden Gardens has hosted several games in the marquee event this year, taking all of them into account won’t be a great idea as all but one of them were games held in the morning or in the afternoon.

The virtual quarter-final between India and the West Indies was the first game held in the evening at Eden Gardens during the ongoing World Cup. The Caribbean side posted 195/4 and India chased it down with five wickets and four balls to spare. Chasing teams have a great record in T20s at Eden Gardens. The captain who wins the toss would opt to bowl first and keep the opposition down below 200.

SA vs NZ Head-to-Head Record in T20Is

SA vs NZ Predicted Playing XIs

South Africa (SA):

Aiden Markram (C), Quinton de Kock (WK), Ryan Rickelton, Dewald Brevis, David Miller, Tristan Stubbs, Marco Jansen, Corbin Bosch, Keshav Maharaj, Kagiso Rabada, Lungi Ngidi.

New Zealand (NZ):

Tim Seifert (WK), Finn Allen, Rachin Ravindra, Glenn Phillips, Daryl Mitchell, Mark Chapman, Mitchell Santner (C), Cole McConchie, Matt Henry, Ish Sodhi, Lockie Ferguson.

SA vs NZ Probable Best Performers

Probable Best Batter: Aiden Markram 

Aiden Markram has led his team from the front in the tournament so far. He is third on the list of leading run-getters in the 2026 T20 World Cup. The right-handed batter has amassed 268 runs in seven innings at an average of 53.60 and a strike rate of 175.17. Markram would want to continue his purple patch when he faced the Kiwis on Wednesday.

Probable Best Bowler: Lungi Ngidi

Lungi Ngidi has been one of the most consistent bowlers in this tournament. He has impressed the cricket fraternity with his clever usage of slower balls. The right-arm seamer has bagged 12 wickets from six games at an average of 13.75. His four-over spell will be crucial and Markram would want to use him tactically.

Today’s Match Prediction: Chasing team to win the match  

In yet another intriguing contest in the ICC T20 World Cup 2026, New Zealand (NZ) will face Canada (CAN) in Match No. 31 at the MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai, on Tuesday, February 17.

The BlackCaps will be gearing up for their fourth and the last group stage encounter, whereas Canada will be playing their third. Currently, the Kiwis sit at second place with four points to their name and will look to book their place in the Super Eights with a win against the Canadians. 

After winning their first two matches against Afghanistan and the UAE, the Mitchell Santner-led side got hammered by the South African batters, chasing the 176 runs in just 17 overs against them. So, against Canada, the Kiwis will look to come back to winning ways. 

Canada, on the other hand, has been on a struggling track. The Dilpreet Bajwa-led side has suffered two consecutive losses, against South Africa and the UAE, respectively. So, this match is a must-win encounter for them. 

NZ vs CAN Match Details

MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai: Pitch Report

The iconic venue of Chennai has as of now hosted four matches in the ongoing T20 World Cup, with all being fairly high-scoring encounters. In these four matches, only South Africa won the match defending the total, whereas the other three matches were won by the teams chasing the target. In conclusion, the Chennai pitch might favour batters slightly more than the bowlers.

NZ vs CAN Head-to-Head Record in T20Is

This will be the first ever T20I encounter between the two teams. 

NZ vs CAN Predicted Playing XIs

New Zealand (NZ):

Finn Allen, Tim Seifert (WK), Rachin Ravindra, Glenn Phillips, Mark Chapman, Daryl Mitchell, Mitchell Santner (C), James Neesham, Matt Henry, Kyle Jamieson, Jacob Duffy 

Canada (CAN):

Yuvraj Samra, Dilpreet Bajwa (C), Navneet Dhaliwal, Nicholas Kirton, Shreyas Movva (WK), Harsh Thaker, Saad Bin Zafar, Jaskaran Singh, Dilon Heyliger, Kaleem Sana, Ansh Patel

SL vs AUS Probable Best Performers

Probable Best Batter: Finn Allen 

The explosive opener from New Zealand, Finn Allen, will be the batter to watch out for in this contest. After a failure against Afghanistan, he has come back stronger, scoring 115 runs in the next two innings. His unbeaten partnership alongside Tim Seifert against the UAE in New Zealand’s second group game has also solidified the confidence that the dressing room has in Allen’s abilities.

Probable Best Bowler: Mitchell Santner 

The experienced spinner and New Zealand’s captain Mitchell Santner will be the bowler to watch out for in this contest. Having played for the Chennai Super Kings in the IPL for several years, he knows the ground the well, and that might help him against Canada. 

Today’s Match Prediction: New Zealand to win the match

New Zealand (NZ) will face the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in Match No. 11 of Group D of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 on February 10, 2026, at the MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai.

New Zealand began their campaign on a positive note with a five-wicket victory over Afghanistan. The Chennai surface offered assistance to the spinners, but the Kiwi batters showed composure and discipline to guide the team to a comfortable win. With momentum on their side, the Black Caps will be aiming for their second consecutive victory to strengthen their position at the top of the group standings.

Meanwhile, the United Arab Emirates will be playing their first match of the tournament. This marks UAE’s third appearance in T20 World Cup history, having missed out on qualification for the 2024 edition. They return this time as the 20th team to secure a spot in the competition. UAE will be led by Muhammad Waseem and the team also features players such as Dhruv Parashar, Aryansh Sharma, Alishan Sharafu, and Simranjeet Singh, all of whom will be looking to make an impact against the formidable Black Caps side.

NZ vs UAE Match Details

MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai Pitch Report

The MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai is widely known for its reputation as a rank turner, often offering significant assistance to spinners. However, batters have also enjoyed considerable success at this venue. In the first match of the T20 World Cup at the ground, spinners played a major role, but with patience and application, batters can build strong innings and score big runs for their teams.

NZ vs UAE Head to Head Record in T20s

NZ vs UAE Predicted Playing XIs

New Zealand (NZ):

Finn Allen, Tim Seifert (wk), Rachin Ravindra, Glenn Phillips, Mark Chapman, Daryl Mitchell, Mitchell Santner (c), James Neesham, Matt Henry, Lockie Ferguson, Jacob Duffy

United Arab Emirates (UAE):

Aryansh Sharman (wk), Muhammad Waseem (c), Muhammad Zohaib, Alishan Sharafu, Harshit Kaushik, Sohaib Khan, Dhruv Parashar, Haider Ali, Muhammad Arfan, Junaid Siddique, Muhammad Jawadullah.

NZ vs UAE Probable Best Performers

Probable Best Batter: Tim Seifert

Tim Seifert could be the standout batter in this clash. He scored 65 off 42 balls against Afghanistan in New Zealand’s T20 World Cup opener and looked in sublime touch. Over the past year, Seifert has been in excellent form in T20 cricket, scoring 2,018 runs in 82 matches at an impressive strike rate of 143.84. His ability to provide strong starts at the top of the order will be crucial for New Zealand.

Probable Best Bowler: Mitchell Santner

New Zealand captain Mitchell Santner could be the key bowler in this clash. He bowled economically in the opening match against Afghanistan, although he did not pick up a wicket. Across 128 T20 matches, Santner has claimed 135 wickets at an economy rate of 7.25. His four-over spell will be crucial on the spin-friendly Chennai pitch, where his control could play a decisive role for the Black Caps.

Today’s Match Prediction: New Zealand to win the match