The South Africa National Cricket Team vs New Zealand National Cricket Team Match Scorecard is the story of an emphatic one-sided semifinal in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026. New Zealand won by 9 wickets9 wickets at Eden Gardens, Kolkata on 4 March 2026, as Finn AllenFinn Allen delivered a special batting performance.
While South Africa (SA) had the misfortune to lose early wickets, they posted a competitive 169/8169/8 in 20 overs led by Marco JansenMarco Jansen‘s unbeaten 55. However, the Kiwis’ openers had other ideas and set SA’s bowlers up with a scintillating 117 run117 run stand between them. Allen then hit a 100 not out100 not out from 33 balls33 balls as they easily surpassed the target at 173/1173/1 in 12.5 overs.
Details of the match scorecard, player performances, playing XI and bowling figures are given below.
South Africa vs New Zealand Match Details
Toss winner Mitchell Santner elected to bowl first and it was the right decision as his bowlers delivered early wickets and kept the Proteas in check.
| Match Details | Information |
| Tournament | ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 |
| Match | First Semifinal |
| Date | 4 March 2026 |
| Venue | Eden Gardens, Kolkata |
| Toss | New Zealand won and decided to bowl |
| South Africa | 169/8 (20 Overs) |
| New Zealand | 173/1 (12.5 Overs) |
| Result | New Zealand won by 9 Wickets |
| Player of the Match | Finn Allen |
The win ensured the Kiwis a place in the final while SA made a disappointing exit.
South Africa National Cricket Team vs New Zealand National Cricket Team Match Scorecard
South Africa Batting Scorecard
SA’s batting innings was a disappointment at the halfway mark as they lost key wickets. Although partnerships formed, there was always a Kiwi bowler on hand to dismantle them. Marco JansenMarco Jansen at the end provided the impetus to score the required runs for his team.
| Batter | Runs | Balls | 4s | 6s |
| Aiden Markram (C) | 18 | 20 | 1 | 1 |
| Quinton de Kock (WK) | 10 | 8 | 1 | 1 |
| Ryan Rickelton | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Dewald Brevis | 34 | 27 | 3 | 2 |
| David Miller | 6 | 6 | 0 | 0 |
| Tristan Stubbs | 29 | 24 | 2 | 1 |
| Marco Jansen (Not Out) | 55 | 30 | 2 | 5 |
| Corbin Bosch | 2 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Kagiso Rabada | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Keshav Maharaj (Not Out) | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Extras | 14 | – | – | – |
| Total | 169/8 | 20 Overs |
Marco Jansen Keeps South Africa in the Game
As soon as the star batter walked out to face the opening over, SA needed someone to stay and score runs. Jansen did not disappoint by smashing five sixes en route to his 55 off 30 balls.
Dewald Brevis earlier had scored a well-made 34 while Tristan Stubbs remained in good form by scoring 29 but SA needed a better start to tie the game up for a World Cup semifinal.
New Zealand Batting Scorecard
Chasing 170 in a World Cup semifinal was a test for every team but the Kiwis made light work of the small target. Finn AllenFinn Allen and Tim Seifert at the top of the order attacked ball from the word go, leaving SA’s bowlers searching for answers.
| Batter | Runs | Balls | 4s | 6s |
| Finn Allen (Not Out) | 100 | 33 | 10 | 8 |
| Tim Seifert (WK) | 58 | 33 | 7 | 2 |
| Rachin Ravindra (Not Out) | 13 | 11 | 2 | 0 |
| Extras | 2 | – | – | – |
| Total | 173/1 | 12.5 Overs |
Finn Allen Takes Control of the Chase
Finn AllenFinn Allen was the difference between the two sides.
He reached his century in 33 balls33 balls to script history by recording the fastest hundred in a Men’s T20 World Cup.
Allen smashed 10 fours and eight sixes. Rather than let the bowlers settle, he kept finding boundaries throughout the chase.
Tim Seifert played his part with a quick 58 from 33 balls33 balls while their 117-run117-run opening stand left South Africa with no game.
South Africa vs New Zealand Bowling Scorecard
New Zealand Bowling Figures
The bowlers worked well together as they took wickets at regular intervals. Cole McConchie provided the early breakthroughs while Matt Henry and Rachin Ravindra got two wickets each.
| Bowler | Overs | Runs | Wickets | Economy |
| Matt Henry | 4 | 34 | 2 | 8.50 |
| Cole McConchie | 1 | 9 | 2 | 9.00 |
| Lockie Ferguson | 4 | 29 | 1 | 7.25 |
| James Neesham | 3 | 42 | 1 | 14.00 |
| Mitchell Santner | 4 | 25 | 0 | 6.25 |
| Rachin Ravindra | 4 | 29 | 2 | 7.25 |
How New Zealand Restrict South Africa
The biggest advantage for New Zealand was taking wickets at regular intervals.
McConchie got rid of Quinton de Kock and Ryan Rickelton early. This meant that the Proteas never had a lasting partnership at any stage.
Mitchell Santner gave away only 25 runs in four overs as the batters were unable to accelerate during the middle overs.
South Africa Bowling Figures
SA’s bowlers struggled to control the scoring rate as New Zealand scored at a blistering pace.
| Bowler | Overs | Runs | Wickets | Economy |
| Marco Jansen | 2.5 | 53 | 0 | 18.71 |
| Kagiso Rabada | 3 | 28 | 1 | 9.33 |
| Lungi Ngidi | 2 | 22 | 0 | 11.00 |
| Corbin Bosch | 2 | 35 | 0 | 17.50 |
| Keshav Maharaj | 3 | 33 | 0 | 11.00 |
Kagiso Rabada took Seifert’s wicket but by then New Zealand had crossed the 100-run mark. The other bowlers were unable to control the scoring rate as Allen continued his aggression.
South Africa vs New Zealand Playing XI
South Africa Playing XI
Aiden Markram (Captain), Quinton de Kock (Wicketkeeper), Ryan Rickelton, Dewald Brevis, David Miller, Tristan Stubbs, Marco JansenMarco Jansen, Corbin Bosch, Kagiso Rabada, Keshav Maharaj and Lungi Ngidi.
New Zealand Playing XI
Finn AllenFinn Allen, Tim Seifert (Wicketkeeper), Rachin Ravindra, Glenn Phillips, Mark Chapman, Daryl Mitchell, Mitchell Santner (Captain), James Neesham, Cole McConchie, Matt Henry and Lockie Ferguson.
South Africa vs New Zealand Match Highlights
South Africa Lose Early Wickets
SA’s innings started poorly when Quinton de Kock and Ryan Rickelton fell with 12 runs on the board. Aiden Markram and Dewald Brevis attempted to rebuild but wickets continued to fall. SA were struggling at 77/5 by the 11 th over. Marco JansenMarco Jansen and Tristan Stubbs then added valuable runs before Jansen’s powerful hitting saw SA finish at 169/8169/8.
New Zealand Dominate the Powerplay
New Zealand’s approach was completely different to South Africa.
Finn AllenFinn Allen and Tim Seifert attacked every bowling delivery. The pair added 84 runs in the first six overs as they put South Africa under pressure straight away. Their opening stand reached 117 before Seifert was dismissed.
Allen Finishes the Match in Style
Rachin Ravindra was the man to join Allen after the opening wicket but South Africa could not stop the chase. Allen continued hitting boundaries and reached his century as New Zealand completed the target at 173/1173/1 in 12.5 overs.
Why South Africa Could Not Defend 169
The main problem for South Africa was losing key wickets during their own innings as well as failing to take early wickets while bowling.
The Kiwis made better use of the powerplay while Allen’s batting left South Africa with no chance of a comeback.
Key Records and Match Statistics
| Record | Details |
| Highest Score | Finn Allen – 100 |
| South Africa’s Top Scorer | Marco Jansen – 55 |
| Best Opening Partnership | Allen and Seifert – 117 |
| Fastest Century | Finn Allen – 33 balls |
| Most Wickets | Henry, McConchie and Ravindra – 2 each |
| New Zealand Powerplay Score | 84 runs |
| Winning Margin | 9 wickets |
| Balls Remaining | 43 |
The most impressive number was Allen’s 303.03303.03 strike rate. Scoring a century at that pace in a World Cup semifinal was a remarkable achievement.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. Who won the South Africa vs New Zealand semifinal in 2026?
New Zealand won against South Africa by 9 wickets9 wickets in the first semifinal of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026.
2. What was South Africa’s score against New Zealand?
South Africa scored 169/8169/8 in 20 overs, led by Marco JansenMarco Jansen‘s unbeaten 55.
3. How many runs did Finn Allen score?
Finn AllenFinn Allen scored 100 not out100 not out from 33 balls33 balls, hitting 10 fours and eight sixes.
4. Who took the most wickets for New Zealand?
Matt Henry, Cole McConchie and Rachin Ravindra each took two wickets.
5. Where was the South Africa vs New Zealand semifinal played?
The match was held at Eden Gardens, Kolkata on 4 March 2026.
Conclusion
The South Africa National Cricket Team vs New Zealand National Cricket Team Match Scorecard is a testament to the emphatic nature of the win as the Kiwis won the T20 World Cup 2026 semifinal. Despite SA’s best efforts to claw back, they were pushed all the way before finally losing to the in-form New Zealand batting lineup. Marco JansenMarco Jansen‘s unbeaten half-century saw SA reach 169/8169/8 but this was not enough for their bowlers to defend against the onslaught of Finn AllenFinn Allen, who hit a 33-ball century to lead his side to victory. New Zealand’s performance was a cautionary tale of how quickly a T20 innings can turn.
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