New Zealand vs South Africa Live Score, 1st Semi-Final – T20 World Cup 2026 Kolkata

The first semi-final of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 is here — and it’s a blockbuster. New Zealand take on unbeaten South Africa at the iconic Eden Gardens in Kolkata tonight, with a place in the final on the line.

The ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 has reached its most exciting stage, and this clash between two sides with a history of near-misses in ICC events is one nobody wanted to miss.

Match Overview

South Africa arrive in Kolkata as the only unbeaten side in the tournament — seven wins from seven. New Zealand, by contrast, had a mixed Super Eights run but showed enough quality to earn their semi-final spot. Both teams know what it feels like to come close in an ICC event and fall short. Tonight, one of them takes the next step.

The pitch at Eden Gardens tends to assist spinners as the match progresses, and with Rachin Ravindra and Ish Sodhi in New Zealand’s attack alongside Mitchell Santner himself, the Kiwis may have an edge with the ball if they can bat first and post a target.

For South Africa, the formula has been consistent all tournament — clinical bowling up front, reliable top-order batting, and finishing the job under pressure. They’ve done it seven times already. The question is whether New Zealand can break that streak.

Head-to-Head – New Zealand vs South Africa (T20Is)

New Zealand actually lead the recent head-to-head record against South Africa, making this matchup more competitive than South Africa’s current form suggests.

The most recent meeting between these two teams was right here in this very tournament — and South Africa won it by 7 wickets with 17 balls to spare. That result will be fresh in New Zealand’s minds tonight.

Last 2 Meetings

South Africa won by 7 wickets — 14 February 2026 (T20 WC 2026 Group Stage, this tournament) South Africa chased down New Zealand’s total with ease, winning comfortably with 17 balls remaining. It was one of their most clinical performances of the tournament.

New Zealand won by 3 runs — 26 July 2025 A nail-biter that went right to the wire. New Zealand edged it by just 3 runs in what was one of the closest matches between these two sides in recent years.

Recent Form

New Zealand head into the semi-final with a mixed recent record — wins over Afghanistan and Ireland in the tournament, but losses to South Africa and Australia. Their NR result shows one washed-out game that didn’t help their momentum.

South Africa are in a different class of form entirely. Five wins from their last five T20Is — all in this tournament — including victories over India, England, and New Zealand. They are playing the best cricket of any team in the competition right now.

• New Zealand: L W NR W L
• South Africa: W W W W W

Check out how both sides navigated their groups and the Super Eights stage on the T20 WC 2026 groups and qualification page.

Players to Watch

New Zealand

• Finn Allen — 269 runs in 8 matches at a strike rate of 182.99. If he fires at the top, New Zealand’s innings gets a completely different shape.
• Tim Seifert — 295 runs in 10 matches at 157.75 SR. Consistent and dependable, Seifert has been NZ’s anchor batter.
• Rachin Ravindra — 9 wickets in 5 matches at an economy of 6.77. Could be the key bowling weapon on an Eden Gardens surface.
• Matt Henry — 9 wickets in 8 matches. Flew back from New Zealand for his family and is expected to be fit. His availability is massive for NZ’s pace department.

South Africa

• Aiden Markram — 371 runs in 10 matches at an average of 53 and SR of 171.75. The SA captain has been the most consistent batter in the tournament.
• Ryan Rickelton — 360 runs in 10 matches at 173.07 SR. Arguably the most destructive opener in this World Cup.
• Lungi Ngidi — 13 wickets in 7 matches at an economy of 7.08. South Africa’s strike weapon with the new ball.
• Corbin Bosch — 13 wickets in 8 matches. An outstanding tournament with the ball — one of the finds of this World Cup.

Venue – Eden Gardens, Kolkata

Eden Gardens is one of cricket’s most iconic grounds and regularly hosts matches with attendances exceeding 60,000. The surface here tends to be good for batting early but gets slower and more difficult for strokemaking as the game progresses — which typically helps spinners in the second innings.

For teams defending totals, the pitch historically offers enough grip and turn to make chasing difficult under lights. South Africa’s bowling attack, however, is strong enough to be dangerous regardless of surface.

New Zealand vs South Africa – Preview

New Zealand need to believe that the group-stage result — where they lost by 7 wickets — can be reversed. Knockout cricket is different. The pressure changes everything. Mitchell Santner has spoken about his team’s ability to adapt, and their recent head-to-head record shows they are more than capable of beating South Africa when it matters.

For South Africa, maintaining momentum and not getting complacent after an unbeaten run will be key. The Proteas have been flawless, but New Zealand at their best — with Finn Allen and Tim Seifert in form, and Matt Henry fit — are a genuinely dangerous side.

The T20 WC 2026 match schedule and timings confirm the game starts at 7:00 PM local time in Kolkata. Don’t miss a ball.

Match Prediction

South Africa enter as clear favourites — and rightfully so. They’re unbeaten, they’ve already beaten New Zealand in this tournament, and their batting and bowling line-ups are both firing on all cylinders. Markram and Rickelton give them one of the most explosive opening partnerships left in the competition, while Ngidi and Bosch have 26 wickets between them.

But New Zealand are dangerous precisely because nobody expects them to win. T20 cricket can flip in a single over, and if Finn Allen gets going or Rachin Ravindra takes a few early wickets — this game changes completely.

Prediction: South Africa to win, but expect a close contest. New Zealand have the tools to make it competitive. South Africa have the form to see it through.

For live streaming options, visit the T20 WC 2026 live streaming page and catch every ball tonight from Kolkata.

FAQs

What time does NZ vs SA semi-final start at T20 WC 2026? The match starts at 7:00 PM local time at Eden Gardens, Kolkata on 4 March 2026.

Where is the NZ vs SA T20 WC 2026 semi-final being played? The first semi-final is at Eden Gardens, Kolkata, India.

What is South Africa’s record in T20 WC 2026 heading into the semi-final? South Africa are unbeaten with seven wins from seven matches in this tournament.

Who are the key players to watch in NZ vs SA semi-final? Finn Allen and Aiden Markram are the key batting threats, while Rachin Ravindra and Lungi Ngidi are the bowlers most likely to decide the match.

Is Matt Henry playing in the NZ vs SA semi-final? Henry flew back to New Zealand for personal reasons and has since returned. He is expected to undergo a fitness check on the morning of the match before a final decision is made.

What is the head-to-head record between NZ and SA in recent T20Is? New Zealand have won 3 of the last 5 T20I meetings between the two sides. However, South Africa beat New Zealand in the group stage of this very tournament by 7 wickets.