T20 World Cup semifinal: Unbeaten South Africa fresh' for New Zealand

"We had a good run against them in the group stages, but both teams have played a lot of cricket since then. It's a completely fresh start [on Wednesday] and it being a semifinal, which is exciting as well. I don't think it's as straightforward as just being able to repeat that. We'll try to bring our best game to the front again."

"South Africa suffered a heartbreaking defeat in the 2024 T20 World Cup final against India in Barbados, when they needed 30 off 30 balls with six wickets and lost by seven runs after a clatter of wickets. The Proteas beat India and the West Indies in the Super Eight to have many marking them down as the favourites to lift the trophy."

"With regards to being favourites or not, that's all different people's opinions. Us as a team really just try to focus on putting good games of cricket together and playing that exciting brand that we've been trying to play for the last 18 months or so."

South Africa arrives at the T20 World Cup semifinal as the only unbeaten team in the last four, seeking to overcome their history of late-stage exits at World Cups. Captain Aiden Markram stresses that their seven-wicket group-stage victory over New Zealand in February means nothing for Wednesday's semifinal at Kolkata's Eden Gardens. Both teams have never won a cricket World Cup in either format. South Africa reached the 2024 T20 World Cup final but suffered a heartbreaking seven-run defeat to India in Barbados. Markram has led from the front with 268 runs across seven matches, including three half-centuries. The team focuses on maintaining their exciting brand of cricket developed over the past 18 months rather than dwelling on favorite status.

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