The Eden Gardens in Kolkata is set to host the semi-final 1 of the T20 World Cup 2026 between South Africa and <a href="https://www.mid-day.com/sports/cricket/article/t20-world-cup-2026-mitchell-santner-aims-at-restricting-south-africa-to-180-runs-23619167" rel="nofollow">New Zealand</a> on March 4.
Ahead of the match, South Africa's skipper Aiden Markram said that over the years, he has been trying to separate the batsman and the captain in him.
"It's something that I have fought with a lot over the years. Just being the batter while you're out there batting. But I think you as the captain always want to get the team over the line, and maybe because of that, you don't put all your focus into actually, just watching the ball and reacting and playing," he said.
"But yeah, the little bit I've learned now from the <a href="https://www.mid-day.com/sports/cricket/article/t20-world-cup-2026-sunil-gavaskar-feels-having-will-jacks-on-the-team-is-a-plus-for-england-23619133" rel="nofollow">T20 World Cup</a> and the more recent months is to make a proper effort to separate the two," added Markram.
Further, the skipper said that if a player does his job as a batsman, then it would ultimately contribute to the team.
"If you do your job as a batter for the team, ultimately, it will contribute, hopefully, in a winning cause. And that's where I try to keep the focus," he said.
Ahead of the game, it will be interesting to see if Dewald Brevis manages to deliver a big knock for <a href="https://www.mid-day.com/sports/cricket/photo/t20-world-cup-2026-aiden-markram-set-to-complete-2000-runs-in-format-for-south-africa-109937/1" rel="nofollow">South Africa</a>. In their previous match against Zimbabwe, the right-handed batsman played a knock of 42 runs off just 18 deliveries, which was laced with two boundaries and four maximums.
On the other hand, the cricket fans will also keep a tab on New Zealand's Rachin Ravindra. He had departed early in New Zealand's previous clash against England. His knock of 11 runs came to an end in 13 balls, and also included a boundary. Later in the match, he contributed immensely with the ball, as he returned with the figures of three wickets for 19 runs in four overs.
<h2>T20 World Cup 2026, NZ vs SA: Full Squads</h2>
New Zealand: James Neesham, Devon Conway (WK), Cole McConchie, Daryl Mitchell, Ish Sodhi, Jacob Duffy, Mitchell Santner (C), Mark Chapman, Matt Henry, Lockie Ferguson, Kyle Jamieson, Tim Seifert (WK), Glenn Phillips, Finn Allen, Rachin Ravindra.
South Africa: David Miller, Quinton de Kock (WK), Keshav Maharaj, George Linde, Corbin Bosch, Kagiso Rabada, Jason Smith, Anrich Nortje, Aiden Markram (C), Lungi Ngidi, Ryan Rickelton (WK), Marco Jansen, Tristan Stubbs, Dewald Brevis, Kwena Maphaka.
(With PTI Inputs)

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