KOLKATA: In the first semi-final of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026, New Zealand cricket team defeated South Africa cricket team by nine wickets to qualify for the final.
The match was played in Kolkata, with New Zealand captain Mitchell Santner winning the toss and electing to field first.
South Africa Innings
South Africa posted 169/8 in 20 overs.Marco Jansen remained unbeaten on 55
Other notable contributions: Aiden Markram 18, Quinton de Kock 10, David Miller 6, Dwaine Pretorius 34, Stokes 29.
Matt Henry, Matt McConkey, and Rachin Ravindra took 2 wickets each for New Zealand.
New Zealand Chase
New Zealand reached the target in the 13th over with just one wicket down, thanks to explosive batting by Finn Allen and Tim Seifert.
Finn Allen scored the fastest century in T20 World Cup history, reaching 100 in just 33 balls, including 10 fours and 8 sixes. Tim Seifert contributed 58, while Rachin Ravindra remained unbeaten on 13.
The second semi-final will be played tomorrow in Mumbai between India and England, setting up the final clash in the T20 World Cup 2026.
