Quinton de Kock's heart-out effort went in vain. They covered a good amount of ground to take a stunning catch. But in the end, it was a missed catch. After running near the boundary rope, from the keeping spot, the wicketkeeper threw his body into the air to catch the ball. If he were able to take the catch, then South Africa could have dismissed New Zealand opener Finn Allen early in the second innings. Kagiso Rabada, the pacer, was hoping to watch a stunner. But he had turned his back as the ball bounced from the fingertips of de Kock. The incident happened in the second over of the second innings of the first semifinal of the ongoing T20 World Cup 2026 at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata. The incident took place in the first over of Kagiso Rabada, and the second over of the second innings. New Zealand was then with only 12 runs, with their openers, Finn Allen and Tim Seifert on the crease. While Seifert was batting on 12, Allen had yet to score his first run of the night. The catch miss perhaps mostly because of the confusion between Quinton de Kock and Dewald Brevis, as both of them went for the catch. Measuring the distance between the ball's trajectory line and the position of the fielders, Brevis was nearer than the wicket keeper. But it was Quinton de Kock who eventually went for the catch, and Brevis was then only a spectator. If the wicketkeeper was able to successfully pull off the stunner, then no one would blame him. But as the chance dropped, de Kock will have to take the responsibility for the action he took. A moment of confusion between Quinton de Kock and Dewald Brevis resulted in the catch being missed. After the conclusion of the momentum, de Kock and Brevis exchanged some words with each other as well.#t20_world_cup_2026 #quinton_de_kock #eden_gardens #dewald_brevis #kagiso_rabada
Proteas' Piet Botha Relies on Kagiso Rabada's Intensity Ahead of T20 World Cup Semi-Final South Africa's bowling coach Piet Botha is focusing on Kagiso Rabada's aggressive mindset as the Proteas prepare for their T20 World Cup semi-final against New Zealand at Eden Gardens in Kolkata. The match, scheduled for Wednesday at 3:30pm, marks a crucial test for the Proteas, who have yet to lose a game in the tournament. Despite their earlier victory over New Zealand in Ahmedabad, Botha remains cautious, acknowledging the Black Caps' thorough preparation under head coach Rob Walter. Botha emphasized the importance of trusting the Proteas' own abilities rather than overanalyzing New Zealand's strategies. "New Zealand are always a meticulous and well-prepared team," he said in an interview with Independent Media. "We understand that we need to be on top of our own game. Our focus is to ensure that we keep backing our own ability and skill on the day to get over the line." Rabada, the Proteas' pace spearhead, is central to the team's attack. Botha praised the fast bowler's resilience and competitive drive, noting his ability to create pressure even when outcomes aren't favorable. "KG has been really good; he just gets on with things even if they don't go his way," Botha explained. "He understands that he needs to create as much pressure as possible. If his teammates pick up wickets on the back of that, he is happy. KG sets the tone with his competitive nature and is always close to a Player of the Match performance." The Proteas' bowling unit, led by Rabada, Lungi Ngidi, and Keshav Maharaj, has been instrumental in neutralizing top-tier batters throughout the tournament. A standout moment came in their tactical approach against India's Abhishek Sharma, the world's top-ranked T20I batter.#new_zealand #eden_gardens #proteas #kagiso_rabada #piet_botha
Kagiso Rabada backed to step up in semifinals despite poor luck in T20 World Cup 2026 South Africa's Test captain Temba Bavuma has expressed confidence in Kagiso Rabada's ability to perform in the T20 World Cup semifinal against New Zealand, despite the pacer's underwhelming returns in the tournament so far. Bavuma emphasized that Rabada's struggles, including a low wicket tally and dropped catches, have not reflected his true capabilities. Rabada has struggled in the T20 World Cup, taking just four wickets in six matches at an average of 47.25 and an economy rate of 7.98. His performance was further impacted by being rested for South Africa's final Super Eight game, with younger players Kwena Maphaka and Anrich Nortje stepping in as replacements. Bavuma defended Rabada's contributions, noting that several crucial catches were dropped off his bowling, which significantly affected his statistics. The skipper highlighted that Rabada's form has been overshadowed by bad luck, with Bavuma stating, "I think he has also been unlucky, right, where there have been a lot of dropped catches off his bowling. His figures could have looked a lot different." Bavuma added that he would not be dissatisfied with Rabada's performances, underscoring the importance of maintaining faith in the player despite the current challenges. Bavuma also praised the overall strength of South Africa's pace attack, which includes Rabada, Lungi Ngidi, Marco Jansen, Corbin Bosch, and Anrich Nortje. He noted that the team has seen exceptional performances from multiple bowlers simultaneously, a rare occurrence in cricket. "In a rare way, in a team, you are going to have four superb guys at the same time," Bavuma said, citing the consistent excellence of his teammates.#t20_world_cup_2026 #temba_bavuma #new_zealand #south_africa #kagiso_rabada
T20 World Cup: Corbin Bosch Shines in Death Overs as South Africa Advances South Africa has emerged as the sole team to reach the semifinals of the T20 World Cup without a single loss, showcasing their dominance through a blend of aggressive batting and disciplined fast bowling. The team’s pacers, including Lungi Ngidi, Kagiso Rabada, Marco Jansen, and Corbin Bosch, have been instrumental in maintaining control over matches, particularly in the critical death overs. Bosch, in particular, has become a key figure in the final stages of games, delivering crucial wickets and keeping oppositions in check. Throughout the tournament, South Africa’s pacers have consistently been recognized for their performances, with one of them named Player of the Match in every group-stage encounter. Ngidi led the way with two such accolades, but Bosch’s contributions in the death overs have drawn significant attention. The 31-year-old bowler has taken at least one over in the 17th to 20th overs of each match, claiming five wickets in eight overs during this phase. His economy rate of 6.2 runs per over in the death overs ranks him among the top performers, ahead of India’s Arshdeep Singh and Jasprit Bumrah. Overall, Bosch has accounted for 10 wickets in 17 innings during this phase, with an impressive economy rate of 7.45. Bosch’s role in the team has been pivotal, especially under captain Aiden Markram, who has strategically deployed the fast bowlers to maximize their impact. Markram highlighted Bosch’s dedication to mastering the death overs, noting that the role requires both mental resilience and technical precision. “He really wants it, and has been wanting it for a while, and has put the work in,” Markram said during a pre-match press conference. “The numbers are showing. This World Cup, he has done really well.#aiden_markram #corbin_bosch #marco_jansen #lungi_ngidi #kagiso_rabada
