Kolkata, March 4 – The first semi-final of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 is set to take place, with New Zealand facing South Africa at Eden Gardens on Wednesday. The winner will advance to the final, where they will compete against either India or England.
Both teams have had impressive campaigns so far. The Black Caps secured second place in their Super 8 group to qualify for the semi-final, while South Africa dominated Group 1, which also included India and the West Indies, to finish at the top.
Given the strong performances of both teams, the match promises to be a closely contested battle as they vie for a spot in the tournament decider. Fans are also closely monitoring the weather conditions in Kolkata ahead of the big match.
There is encouraging news on that front. Forecasts suggest minimal chances of rain, with clear skies expected in the city. According to AccuWeather, the temperature is likely to hover around a comfortable 29 degrees Celsius at the start, then ease to approximately 23 degrees later in the evening.
However, the pitches used in the last two games at Eden Gardens in this tournament were flat. Adding to that, the relatively small boundaries and a fast outfield mean that there is minimal room for error for bowlers. The team batting first will be aiming for a score of over 200.
The first semi-final will be played on the pitch adjacent to the one that was used for the India versus West Indies match, so the square boundary dimensions are almost the same. Once again, the pitch looks dry.
The average first innings score in the last 19 matches at this venue is 162, while the second innings score is 143.
Unlike the Super 8 stage, where there was no reserve time, the International Cricket Council (ICC) has made special provisions for the semi-finals and final. An additional 90 minutes has been set aside on the scheduled match day to ensure that the game reaches a result if possible.
In the event of rain interruptions, there will be no bowl-out or toss to determine the outcome. Instead, qualification rules will come into effect based on the Super 8 standings.
If the semi-final between South Africa and New Zealand on March 4 is completely washed out, play will resume on the designated reserve day, March 5, from the exact point at which it was halted.
Should weather conditions prevent any play even on the reserve day, the team that finished higher in their respective Super 8 group will advance to the final.
In this scenario, South Africa topped Super 8 Group 1 with six points, while New Zealand progressed after finishing with three points in Group 2. Consequently, if the match cannot be completed, South Africa would move on to the summit clash.
