South Africa's Semi-Final Showdown: Clash at Eden Gardens

South Africa's head coach, Shukri Conrad, rejected suggestions that his team 'choked' in the Twenty20 World Cup semi-final against New Zealand. Instead, he described their nine-wicket defeat at Eden Gardens as a 'walloping.'

Heading into the match, South Africa were the only unbeaten team in the tournament, boasting seven consecutive victories including a dominant win over New Zealand in group play. However, New Zealand turned the tables in dramatic fashion with Finn Allen smashing an unbeaten 33-ball century, clinching victory with more than seven overs to spare.

Reflecting on the match, Conrad remarked that South Africa never had an upper hand, attributing New Zealand's success to precise bowling and exceptional spin attack. Despite falling short, Conrad praised his team for their accomplishments, acknowledging pre-tournament skepticism of their potential to reach the semi-final stage.