We are just about 15 minutes away from toss time at the Eden Gardens. This is a stadium where due often plays a big role in evening games, so we could see the toss-winning captain opt to bowl tonight.

South Africa captain Aiden Markram has had a superb tournament. He enters the semi-final as the third-highest run-scorer of the tournament so far, with 268 runs in 7 matches, at a strike-rate of 175+, including 3 half-centuries.

His most devastating knock of the tournament came in the group game against New Zealand, where he smashed 86* off just 44 balls. He'll be hoping to recreate those heroics today!

Interestingly, New Zealand's top 3 batters - Finn Allen, Tim Seifert and Rachin Ravindra - are all set to play for Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in the upcoming IPL 2026. KKR play their home games at the Eden Gardens, the venue of today's semi-final. The KKR trio are certain to get that extra bit of support from the crowd, but will that bring them any luck?

Two players who have regularly stood up and delivered for South Africa in this ongoing T20 World Cup have been David Miller and Tristan Stubbs, most notably in the dramatic double Super Over game against Afghanistan and the terrific Super 8 win over reigning champions India. 

New Zealand's middle-order have not fired uniformly in this tournament. While openers Tim Seifert and Finn Allen have provided starts in almost every game, the likes of Rachin Ravindra, Glenn Phillips, Mark Chapman and Daryl Mitchell haven't been able to perform consistently, including in their group stage game against South Africa.

South Africa may hold the head-to-head advantage over New Zealand in T20 World Cups, but NZ have the edge when it comes to semi-finals in ICC tournaments. NZ have won both times the two nations have faced off in an ICC semi: in the 2015 Cricket World Cup and the 2025 Champions Trophy.

South Africa have met New Zealand 5 times previously in T20 World Cup history. Amazingly, SA have won on all 5 occasions! That statistic could give them a bit of a psychological edge heading into the big clash today.

New Zealand are on the hunt for revenge. The Black Caps were convincingly beaten by the Proteas during the group stage, as SA chased down a target of 176 with nearly 3 overs to spare. Can Santner and co. get revenge tonight?

New Zealand have suffered two defeats en route to the T20 World Cup 2026 semis, but they've had contributions from several different players. Almost each match, there's been a new hero. Tim Seifert and Finn Allen fired big knocks during the group stages, while Glenn Phillips has bailed them out on a couple of chases. Captain Mitch Santner, Rachin Ravindra and Cole McConchie thrived in the spin-friendly Sri Lankan conditions, while pacer Matt Henry has had a really consistent tournament.

For the second T20 World Cup in a row, South Africa are looking to make the final without losing a single game. They were unbeaten all the way up to the final in the 2024 edition, and if they win today, they'll do the same again!

A very warm welcome to one and all, to the live coverage of the T20 World Cup 2026! It is the first semi-final today, as South Africa and New Zealand face off once again, this time at the iconic Eden Gardens in Kolkata.

Stay tuned to NDTV Sports for all the live updates from the match!