Summary of this article
South Africa beat New Zealand by seven wickets in group stage
Kiwis sneaked through to semis after Pakistan could not complete job against Sri Lanka
Rachin Ravindra, Tim Seifert have been standout performers for All Blacks
As is so often the case in ICC tournaments, New Zealand are the underdogs going into their semi-final fixture against South Africa at the Eden Gardens on Wednesday (March 4, 2026). The Proteas handed Mitchell Santner's men a seven-wicket thrashing in the group stage, and remain the only unbeaten team in the competition.
But the Kiwis have repeatedly shown the propensity to rise to the occasion and surprise opponents in knockout games in the past; ask India. Aiden Markram's men would suitably be wary in Kolkata, one presumes.
Before the last-four match gets underway, let us take a look at the five best performers from New Zealand so far:
Rachin Ravindra
Though he is yet to set the tournament alight with the bat, all-rounder Rachin Ravindra has shone bright with his left-arm spin, teasing batters with wide, loopy deliveries to extract good returns. He has claimed nine wickets from just 13 overs bowled so far at a miserly economy rate of 6.76 and strike rate of 8.66.
Tim Seifert
Among the All Blacks batters, Tim Seifert has fared the best, aggregating 216 runs at a strong strike rate of 157.66 and healthy average of 43.20. The wicketkeeper-opener has not played a big-impact innings after the group stage, though, and what better stage than the knockouts to change that?
Finn Allen
Seifert's opening partner Finn Allen has also been among the runs to help give New Zealand consistently good starts in the powerplay. More than his 189 runs, the strike rate of 173.39 has helped the team's cause and Allen would seek to give the Kiwis another flying start on Wednesday evening.
Glenn Phillips
With 176 runs from five innings at a strike rate of 160 and average of 44, Glenn Phillips has been the rock of the Kiwi middle-order. He is also invaluable in the field with the number of runs he saves each time, and outrageous catches and run-outs he can pull off at crucial junctures.
Matt Henry
Having gone home for the birth of his second child, Matt Henry has rejoined the side and is expected to be drafted in the playing XI. The fast bowler has been the pick of the New Zealand seamers with seven wickets at an economy rate of 7.41, and would aim to contain the explosive South African batting in the semi-final.
What is New Zealand's head-to-head record against South Africa in T20 World Cups?
The two teams have faced off five times in T20 World Cup history, with South Africa winning on all five occasions.
Who has taken most wickets and scored most runs for New Zealand in ICC T20 World Cup 2026 so far?
Rachin Ravindra tops the wickets list for Kiwis with nine scalps, while Tim Seifert has aggregated the most runs (216) going into the semi-finals.
What are New Zealand and South Africa's squads for semi-final?
South Africa Squad: Aiden Markram (c), Quinton de Kock (wk), Ryan Rickelton, Dewald Brevis, David Miller, Tristan Stubbs, George Linde, Corbin Bosch, Anrich Nortje, Kwena Maphaka, Lungi Ngidi, Kagiso Rabada, Marco Jansen, Keshav Maharaj, Jason Smith
New Zealand Squad: Tim Seifert (wk), Finn Allen, Rachin Ravindra, Glenn Phillips, Mark Chapman, Daryl Mitchell, Mitchell Santner (c), Cole McConchie, Matt Henry, Ish Sodhi, Lockie Ferguson, Jacob Duffy, James Neesham, Kyle Jamieson, Devon Conway
