South Africa Vs New Zealand, T20 World Cup 2nd SF: Jansen's Fighting Fifty Takes Struggling Proteas To Competitive Score

Struggling South Africa post a total of 169/8 in front of New Zealand in the ICC T20 World Cup 2026 semi-final clash at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata on March 04, Wednesday. Put in to bat first, South Africa lost early wickets and only a late recovery from them helped them get to a competitive total.

The Eden Gardens pitch on Wednesday was not a belter, it has a two-paced nature with low, spongy bounce and the South African batters fell victim to that. New Zealand attacked Quinton de Kock with Cole McConchie just in the second over and the latter delivered two wickets in two balls removing de Kock and Ryan Rickelton.

Quinton de Kock was looking to put the pressure back on McConchie but after one boundary, he mistimed a backfoot pull to the hands of the mid-on fielder. Rickelton, in the next ball, cut one to the hands of point fielder.

After the double blow, Aiden Markram and Dewald Brevis steadied ship for a time. Markram's catch was dropped by Rachin Ravindra and it gave them a breather. But New Zealand offered no freebies at any point and Markram departed while taking on Ravindra. Daryl Mitchell's catch was controversial, but Umpire adjudged it as out.

Ravindra kept the pressure on with the ball. He bowled a spell of 2/29 in his 4 overs and scalped the big wickets of Markram and Miller. David Miller, who had a fantastic game against India, struggled to get going and just like Miller couldn't utilise a dropped opportunity.

Brevis, set in the crease, departed soon by hitting a Jimmy Neesham delivery straight to the cover fielder. Things looked bleak for the Proteas with them struggling at 77/5. But Marco Jansen and Tristan Stubbs stitched a steady partnership and took the game deep.

Both of them landed some shots against Jimmy Neesham and Matt Henry in the slog overs and powered South Africa to a competitive score of 169/8. Stubbs was cleaned up by Lockie Ferguson, who was in a really good rhythm while Jansen remained unbeaten on 55 off 30 balls.