T20 World Cup semi-final: South Africa set 170-run target for New Zealand

South Africa set a 170-run target for New Zealand in the first semi-final of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup on Wednesday after posting 169 for eight at Eden Gardens.New Zealand captain Mitchell Santner won the toss and elected to field in Kolkata.South Africa, which qualified from Group One, had earlier beaten New Zealand by seven wickets in the group stage. The Kiwis advanced from Group Two.Historically, South Africa hold the edge in T20 World Cup meetings, having won four of their previous encounters against New Zealand since the inaugural 2007 edition. Overall, the Proteas have claimed 12 wins in 19 T20 World Cup matches between the two sides.Captain Aiden Markram has been in strong form, scoring 268 runs in seven matches in the tournament. New Zealand opener Tim Seifert has also impressed with 216 runs in seven games.Among bowlers, South Africa’s attack has been effective, with Kagiso Rabada, Corbin Bosch and Marco Jansen featuring among the tournament’s leading wicket-takers.The semi-final adds another layer of intrigue to a rivalry marked by contrasting trends.While South Africa boast an unbeaten record against New Zealand in T20 World Cup history, the Kiwis have historically prevailed in ICC knockout encounters, including the 2011 ODI World Cup quarter-final and the 2015 semi-final.The second semi-final will be played between India and England at Mumbai’s Wankhede Stadium on Thursday.

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