In the first semi-final between South Africa and New Zealand at Eden Gardens in Kolkata, it was New Zealand captain Mitchell Santner who won the toss and elected to bowl first. It was quite even in the opening over but the introduction of Cole McConchie proved dividend as he dismissed Quinton de Kock and Ryan Rickelton in consecutive balls. Captain Aiden Markram and Dewald Brevis have stabilised things for the Proteas but Markram got a lifeline on 3 when Rachin Ravindra dropped him at short midwicket. How costly will it be? Only time will tell.
Cole McConchie’s double strike rattles South Africa; Aiden Markram and Dewald Brevis steadies things thereafter in powerplay.Â
Put into bat first, Aiden Markram the captain opened the batting with keeper batter Quinton de Kock while Matt Henry had ball in hand for New Zealand. Quinton took Henry on in the first over as he shuffled across and heaved it away to deep backward square leg for the maximum. Cole McConchie was given the ball from the other end. Quinton too him on and stayed leg side of the ball and slammed it over top of mid-on for a boundary. But the bowler had his revenge removing Quinton for 10 off 8 balls with one four and one six to his name.
Cole bowled a back of a length delivery around the middle stump line angling into the batter. Quinton looked to back away for room and looked to play the pull shot with extra bounce off the surface. Quinton mistimed it from the splice of the bat and Ferguson settled underneath it at mid-on and took the catch at the edge of the circle. Ryan Rickelton came out to bat next and went first ball for a golden duck.
Cole bowled a short of a length delivery around the fifth stump line quicker through the air. Rickelton rocked back and slashed it hard but failed to keep it down. The ball flew straight to Allen at short third man who took the catch. Dewald Brevis came out to bat next. He got the outside edge that went away to the third man fence as there was no slip at all. Henry continued and gifted away 5 wides to the batting side.
Lockie Ferguson came into the attack next. Then a big moment came in the contest as Aiden Markram batting on 3 and the score at 22/2 was dropped in the 3rd ball of the 4th over by Rachin Ravindra at short midwicket off Ferguson. How costly will this miss be? Only time will tell. Markram added salt to the wounds as he creamed the ball through the covers for a boundary.
Jimmy Neesham came into the attack next. Markram backed away for room and flicked it away over deep midwicket for the maximum. Brevis joined in the fun as he drove Neesham through the covers for a boundary and then pressed forward and drove towards mid-off for a boundary as 17 came off the over. Lockie Ferguson came to bowl the final over of powerplay. He bowled a good over as South Africa were steadily placed at 48/2 in 6 overs with Markram unbeaten on 16 off 15 balls and Brevis unbeaten on 15 off 12 balls. Players took Drinks at the end of the powerplay.
New Zealand chip away at the wickets to keep South Africa under the cosh.
Mitchell Santner the captain came into the attack post the powerplay. The 50 came up for South Africa in 6.4 overs. Rachin Ravindra came into the attack next. He got redemption as he removed Markram for 18 off 20 balls with one four and one six to his name. Ravindra pushed across a bit shorter and around the middle stump. Markram went forward and tried to belt it downtown and ended up mistiming it to Daryl Mitchell who ran across and tumbled down to take the catch. Replays were checked and it was deemed a clean catch.
David Miller came out to bat next and got off the mark. Santner continued as Brevis took him on and thumped it away and muscled it over deep midwicket for the maximum. Then another big moment came when Miller was dropped by Glenn Phillips when on 3 and at the start of the 10th over as the southpaw got a lifeline off Ravindra. Brevis then went big and thumped the bowler over deep midwicket for the maximum. Ravindra got justice as he removed Miller for 6 off 6 balls.
Ravindra from over the wicket bowled full and outside the off-stump where Miller threw his hands at it and looked to go downtown and played it away from the body. He failed to control the shot and ended up mistiming the ball to long-off where Mitchell took the catch easily. Tristan Stubbs came out to bat next as the Proteas at the halfway stage were 77/4 in 10 overs.
Neesham came back into the attack and removed Brevis for 34 off 27 balls with 3 fours and 2 sixes to his name. The ball was full outside the off-stump. Brevis pressed forward and drove it with hard hands and failed to keep it down as the captain took the catch at extra covers. Marco Jansen came out to bat next and got off the mark. South Africa were 80/5 in 11 overs with Stubbs unbeaten on 1 off 2 balls and Jansen 2 off 2 balls.
What Lies Ahead.Â
South Africa are in trouble in Kolkata at 80/5 in 11 overs and needs a partnership before launching later on. They need to get from here somewhere around 160-170 to be competitive. New Zealand needs to keep chipping away and restrict the score to as low as possible should be the aim. Let’s see how things unfold from here.
Also Read:Â ICC T20 WC 2026: Unbeaten South Africa Aims To Make Finals Against Gritty New Zealand.