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This cricket-crazy city, still basking in the afterglow of Sanju Samson’s masterclass and India’s passage to the semi-finals of the T20 World Cup on Sunday, will be hoping for a proper contest when South Africa and New Zealand joust here on Wednesday for a berth in the final. The unbeaten Proteas, with seven victories on the trot, including emphatic ones over India and the Kiwis, will strut into the Eden Gardens as firm favourites, and it’s up to the Black Caps to make a match of it.
“It’s another day and it’s a knockout,” reminded Mitchell Santner, brushing aside suggestions that the Kiwis are rank outsiders. Aiden Markram too is averse to counting his chickens right now. “Both teams have played a lot of cricket since then [group stage where SA beat NZ], and it’s a completely fresh start,” the South African skipper said.
NZ skipper Mitchell Santner in Kolkata on Tuesday. Pic/PTI
Markram has led from the front, scoring consistently to be among the top run-getters while chipping in with crucial wickets with his off-spin. Quinton de Kock, Ryan Rickelton, Dewald Brevis and David Miller have all bolstered the batting, where the likes of Tristan Stubbs and Marco Jansen have also used the long handle to telling effect. On a batting-friendly wicket and quick outfield, Santner & Co will have their task cut out. Early wickets would be a key but, then, the Proteas have shown they can wriggle out of tight situations with calm and a clobber too.
New Zealand must also tweak their approach on a wicket that’s very different from the slow spinning tracks of Colombo.
Though Keshav Maharaj and Markram present adequate spin options, it’s the searing pace of Kagiso Rabada and disconcerting bounce of Jansen along with the pace-off deception of Lungi Ngidi that has helped them. Also, there’s Corbin Bosch with his toe crushers at the death.
The Kiwis meanwhile, in Tim Seifert, Rachin Ravindra, Glenn Phillips, Mark Chapman and Daryl Mitchell have a powerful batting line-up, but it hasn’t quite fired yet. Pacer Matt Henry, who arrived here on Tuesday after a short trip home, is expected to play and Santner, with his tight left-arm spin, could be crucial. However, they will need a collective lift to stop this South African juggernaut.
07
No. of consecutive T20I wins for SA
12-7
South Africa’s win-loss record against NZ in 19 T20Is
5-0
SA’s win-loss record against NZ at T20 World Cups
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