South Africa captain Aiden Markram says his side’s win over New Zealand in the group stage will count for nothing in the T20 World Cup semi-final, which will be a “completely fresh start”.
The two teams will meet at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata in Wednesday’s first semi-final, with neither team having lifted the Cricket World Cup in either 20-over or 50-over format.
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South Africa are unbeaten in the last four and are looking to shed their reputation of stifling in the final stages of the World Cup.
They have been the team to beat in this edition and defeated New Zealand by seven wickets in the group match at Ahmedabad on 15 February.
“We had a good run against them in the group stages, but then both teams played a lot of cricket,” Markram told reporters on Tuesday.
“It’s a completely new start (Wednesday) and it’s a semi-final, which is exciting.
“I don’t think it’s as simple as being able to repeat it. We’ll try to bring our best game back to the front.”
South Africa suffered a heartbreaking defeat against India in the final of the 2024 T20 World Cup in Barbados when they needed 30 runs with six wickets from 30 balls and lost by seven runs after a battle of the wickets.
The Proteas defeated India and the West Indies in the Super Eight and were identified as favorites to lift the trophy.
“As far as favorites or not, those are different people’s opinions,” Markram said.
“We will try to put together some really good games of cricket as a team and focus on playing the exciting brand that we have been trying to play for the last 18 months.”
Markram led South Africa with 268 runs in seven matches, including three fifties and 86 not out.
He has an impressive captaincy record of 15 wins in 16 T20 World Cup matches, with the only defeat in the 2024 final.
“The senior guys in the team, we lean on them the most. They help guide you and lead you when you have some doubts,” Markram said.
“Because of that and a really strong group of players over the years, I think we’ve developed that. Fortunately, it reflects well, but it definitely reflects on the group as a whole.”
New Zealand ‘back themselves’ as outsiders for T20 World Cup
Underdogs New Zealand, meanwhile, will back themselves against anyone in “one-off matches”, according to captain Mitchell Santner.
Santner admitted that Markram’s unbeaten South Africa was “very good”.
New Zealand have lost twice in this edition, also falling to England in the Super Eights, and entered the semi-finals with a lower run-rate than Pakistan.
“Whether you want to call us underdogs or not, I think everyone’s goal throughout the tournament is to get to this stage,” Santner told reporters at the Eden Gardens.
“We’re here now, and we back ourselves in one-off games against most teams, being able to adapt quickly to what’s in front of us.
“South Africa look like a good outfit as they showed.
“I think they’re in the same boat as us now, it’s one game, and you’re into the final,” said the left-arm spinner.
New Zealand will be playing their fourth semi-final in the last five T20 World Cups. They reached the final in 2021 but lost to Australia.
“Maybe these two teams have been around for a long time. We know the heartbreak of South Africa two years ago,” Santner added.
“Whoever turns on the day, who sees the conditions best.”
New Zealand are the only semi-finalist to have lost more than once in the tournament and have beaten only two Test-playing nations on their way to the last four – Afghanistan and fellow countrymen Sri Lanka.
“We haven’t played a perfect game throughout this tournament,” Santner said.
“It’s good for us, if we put everything together, it can put us in a good position.
“There is no real concealment or mystery about what South Africa is going to bring.
“We know they’re probably going to bring out the same team and a better team.”
New Zealand fast bowler Matt Henry returned home for the birth of his second child after Friday’s loss against England in Colombo.
Santner said the bowler will be back later on Tuesday night.
“He’ll obviously run around a bit in the morning to see if he’s ready to go.”
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