Two contrasting World Cup campaigns, one ticket to Ahmedabad

It could have been Pakistan, but South Africa arrived in Kolkata instead. A free-flowing batting side like South Africa would likely prefer a true surface with a fast outfield, rather than the conditions in Colombo.

Their opponents, New Zealand, spent the last 10 days in Colombo but will be glad to have made the top four. A big opposition awaits them, but so does a blank slate and an equal chance to reach the summit. Mitchell Santner could use the narrative of being imperfect to motivate his players.

What idea can Aiden Markram propagate in his dressing room—full of confident players with seven consecutive wins? Perhaps to not read too much into South Africa's history with World Cup knockouts. He could believe that is just a narrative, and he wouldn't be wrong. Two years ago, South Africa demolished Afghanistan in this fixture before falling to India.

"We're not trying to do anything different tomorrow. Keep hammering away at the things that we've done well and that have got us here," Markram said, downplaying the pressures of the game.

South Africa and New Zealand have taken very different paths to this semifinal. Their past in this tournament, and against each other, adds weight to the knockout. But once the lights come on at Eden Gardens, none of that will matter. All that remains is one ticket to Ahmedabad, and two teams staking their claim.

When: South Africa vs New Zealand, 1st semifinal, March 4, 7 PM IST
Where: Eden Gardens, Kolkata

What to expect: Another high-scoring game? This match will be played on the pitch adjacent to the one used for India vs West Indies, so boundary dimensions are nearly equal. The surface looks dry.

Aiden Markram's team should have their stalwarts returning after resting against Zimbabwe. Marco Jansen, Kagiso Rabada, and Keshav Maharaj should be back.

South Africa Probable XI: Aiden Markram (c), Quinton de Kock (wk), Ryan Rickelton, Dewald Brevis, David Miller, Tristan Stubbs, Marco Jansen, Corbin Bosch, Kagiso Rabada, Keshav Maharaj, Lungi Ngidi

Mitchell Santner said Matt Henry was still returning to India after heading home for the birth of his child. The fast bowler will rejoin the squad on the eve of the fixture. Santner said they will have to assess his condition on match day.

If Henry is unavailable, Jacob Duffy is the likeliest replacement. Against England in Colombo, New Zealand used five spinners, which may be excessive in Kolkata. James Neesham could replace Cole McConchie.

New Zealand Probable XI: Tim Seifert (wk), Finn Allen, Rachin Ravindra, Glenn Phillips, Daryl Mitchell, Mark Chapman, Mitchell Santner (c), Cole McConchie/James Neesham, Matt Henry/Jacob Duffy, Ish Sodhi, Lockie Ferguson

• David Miller has 249 runs in 9 T20s at Eden Gardens, averaging 62.25 with a strike rate of 148.21.
• South Africa have a run-rate of 9.65 in the middle-overs (7-15) in the T20 World Cup—the best among all teams. New Zealand are third with 9.20.
• Lockie Ferguson has dismissed Quinton de Kock three times in 23 balls across four T20 innings.
• Against Lungi Ngidi, Finn Allen has scored at a strike rate of 277.77 in T20s (50 runs off 18 balls).

"The other night [India vs West Indies] it was pretty flat. I think there's still a role for spinners and seamers. The ground dimensions play a massive part. In Sri Lanka, we had big boundaries, whereas it's a bit smaller here. It's about adapting on the fly." — Mitchell Santner

"I've been fortunate to lead strong teams with a great mix of youth and experience. You feed off the senior guys, lean on them a lot, and they guide you when you have doubts. Because of that, we've developed a really strong group." — Aiden Markram