South Africa arrive as the form team of the tournament, unbeaten so far and brimming with confidence. Their top order has been ruthless, laying strong foundations in almost every game, while the pace attack has consistently applied pressure at key moments. Aiden Markram’s leadership has stood out, and the skipper is closing in on a significant landmark, he needs just 52 more runs to reach 2000 T20I runs. He is also 32 runs away from becoming the first South African to score 300 runs in a single T20 World Cup edition, underlining his impact this campaign.
There are key milestones in sight. Quinton de Kock needs 35 runs to overtake Aaron Finch’s 3120 T20I runs, while Ish Sodhi is just three wickets away from becoming New Zealand’s leading wicket-taker in T20Is. With history and a place in the final on the line, Eden Gardens is set for a high-pressure classic.
New Zealand playing 11: Finn Allen, Tim Seifert, Rachin Ravindra, Glenn Phillips, Mark Chapman, Daryl Mitchell, Mitchell Santner, James Neesham, Jacob Duffy, Lockie Ferguson, Ish Sodhi
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