New Delhi: South Africa and New Zealand are meeting for the second time in this T20 World Cup, but the stakes are much higher than in their previous match. Unlike their earlier group game, which had little impact, this is now the first semifinal of the tournament as the match, scheduled for Wednesday at Eden Gardens in Kolkata, will determine the first team to reach the final.
South Africa head into the knockout fixture with momentum firmly on their side. The Proteas remain unbeaten, having swept through the group stage before continuing their strong run in the Super 8s. Their victory over India in the second phase further underlined their credentials as serious title contenders.
New Zealand’s path has been comparatively uneven. The Black Caps advanced from the group stage with three wins and a defeat — that loss coming against South Africa. In the Super 8s, they secured a comfortable win over Sri Lanka, suffered a narrow defeat to England and saw their fixture against Pakistan abandoned due to rain.
Unlike the Super 8 stage, which did not have a reserve provision, the International Cricket Council (ICC) has allocated additional time for the semi-finals and final. Match officials have an extra 90 minutes on the scheduled day to complete proceedings.
If rain disrupts play on either day, the rules are clear: there will be no bowl-out or coin toss. Instead, the teams’ progress will be based on the Super 8 standings.
If the first semi-final between South Africa and New Zealand on March 4 is fully washed out, the match will be continued on the reserve day, March 5, starting from where it was interrupted.
If no play is possible even on the reserve day, the team that ranked higher in the Super 8 group will progress.
In this case, South Africa led Super 8 Group 1 with six points, while New Zealand advanced to the semi-finals with three points in Group 2. Therefore, if there was a washout, South Africa would progress to the final.
(IANS)
