South Africa's unbeaten streak at the Twenty20 World Cup faces its toughest test in the semi-final against New Zealand. Captain Aiden Markram cautioned against complacency, despite a prior group stage victory over the Kiwis.
"New Zealand is a quality team," Markram stated. "We had a good runout against them in the group stage. But both teams have played a lot of cricket since then, and it's completely a fresh start tomorrow."
The team's perfect record of seven wins is attributed to smart decision-making under pressure and experienced players like wicketkeeper-batter Quinton de Kock, who Markram noted excels at reading conditions from behind the stumps. The squad will also adapt to the new venue at Eden Gardens, with Markram indicating they are studying the pitch for optimal strategy.
"We don't try to complicate too much," Markram added, highlighting the team's focus on executing well-laid plans.