New Zealand Black Caps coach Gary Stead Photo: PHOTOSPORT
Black Caps v South Africa
Starts: 10pm Wednesday 5 March
Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore
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Blackcaps coach Gary Stead's talking up the "positive emotions" on their return to Lahore for tonight's Champions Trophy semi-final against South Africa.
Despite losing to India in its final pool match in Dubai on Sunday, New Zealand has good momentum heading into the match following two big wins at Gaddifi Stadium in a Tri-Nations series last month, one of which was against South Africa.
New Zealand successfuly chased down 304 in that match, to win by six wickets, two days after beating Pakistan at the same venue in warmups for theChampins Trophy.
"We are lucky. We've had some experience playing here in the tri-series before the tournament actually kicked off," Stead told reporters on a video call.
"We've got some on-ground experience and I guess some positive emotions to fall back on the way we played here as well."
Stead said it was likely New Zealand would stick with the same trio and complement them with spin from their contingent of all-rounders as they did against India and in the previous win against Bangladesh in Rawalpindi.
South Africa though, will have a very different team than the lineup that played in the tri-series.
Tabraiz Shamsi has not appeared at the Champions Trophy but Stead suggested the left-arm wrist spinner might be called up in place of paceman Lungi Ngidi.
"They're a very, very good side and we're going to have to play right near our best to beat them," he added.
South Africa will pack much more of a punch in the bowling department this time round, with fast bowlers Kagiso Rabada and Marco Jansen as well as wily spinner Keshav Maharaj in their attack.
"They've got all bases covered in terms of batting, bowling and in the field. I'm sure it'll be a fantastic game," New Zealand batter Tom Latham said.
The match is another chance for South Africa to end their long drought for victory in an ICC tournament, which stretches back to 1998.
South Africa has reached the semi-finals or finals of ICC tournaments on 13 occasions across both limited-overs formats and only have the 1998 Champions Trophy title to show for it.
The winner of the match will face in India in Sunday's final in Dubai, after they beat Australia in the first semi final.
India won by four wickets, after successfully chasing down Australia's 264 all out, with 11 balls to spare.
Virat Kohli was named player of the match, after top scoring for India with 84 from 98 balls.
- Reuters
