"South Africa look a very good outfit but they're in the same boat as us now – it's one game and you're into a final. Whether you want to call us underdogs or not, for us it was everyone's goal throughout the tournament to get to this stage. We're here now, and we back ourselves in one-off games against most teams."
"South Africa have been the best team in the tournament; no ifs, no buts, no sneery ch- words. They thrashed India in the Super Eights and have won all seven games, even if they needed two Super Overs to beat Afghanistan."
"I wish cricket was that easy. Both teams have played a lot of cricket since [SA beat New Zealand in the group stage] and it's a completely fresh start. I don't think it's as straightforward as being able to repeat that again."
South Africa and New Zealand face off in a World Cup semi-final in Kolkata, with the winner advancing to the final in Ahmedabad. South Africa has dominated the tournament, winning all seven games including a victory over India in the Super Eights, though they required two Super Overs to defeat Afghanistan. New Zealand lost to South Africa in the group stage and needed Sri Lanka's help to qualify ahead of Pakistan. Both teams have never won a World Cup. The toss will be significant in Kolkata, where dew conditions typically favor batting last. Both captains emphasize the match is a fresh start, with New Zealand backing themselves in one-off games despite being considered underdogs.
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Read at www.theguardian.com
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