Semifinals distil tournaments to their essence. At Eden Gardens, they also stir memory. South Africa returns to Kolkata for the first semifinal of the ICC T20 World Cup against New Zealand with proof that this ground can bend to visiting will. Last November, the Proteas won a low-scoring Test here by 30 runs, their first in India since 2010. Useful memory, perhaps. Protection, none. T20 offers no shelter.

South Africa arrives unbeaten; New Zealand with familiar composure under pressure. The difference may lie less in invention than in restraint.

The closing overs will be decisive. New Zealand has conceded 9.52 per over between overs 15 and 20. South Africa’s boundary percentage in that phase is a modest 16.16, but its dot-ball share under 24, the lowest of all teams, points to a side comfortable accumulating when spectacle fails.

T20 World Cup: Focus on match-ups as Proteas meet Black Caps for a spot in the final

South Africa faces New Zealand in a crucial T20 World Cup semifinal, highlighting key match-ups and tactical decisions.