New Delhi, Mar 1 (NationPress) South Africa's head coach, Shukri Conrad, stated that his team will approach the upcoming Men’s T20 World Cup semi-final against New Zealand in Kolkata with the same preparation as in previous matches throughout the tournament.

The Proteas continued their undefeated streak by securing a five-wicket win over Zimbabwe in their final Super Eights encounter at the Arun Jaitley Stadium on Sunday.

While the possibility of clinching the title is within reach for South Africa, Conrad was cautious in addressing the nation's prolonged quest for a significant ICC trophy, alluding to the ‘cupcake’ advertisement that flopped when they triumphed over India by 76 runs in Ahmedabad, which he humorously referred to as ‘their home ground.’

"Pressure is always present. It's about how you manage that pressure and how you convert it. Regarding the 'C word,' I think there's another one associated with it - cupcakes. We found that amusing. However, pressure is constant, and we aim to embrace it; our approach remains unchanged.

"We'll prepare for New Zealand in precisely the same manner. As we stand as the only unbeaten team in the competition, it’s likely we’ll be seen as favorites. Yet, I’m unsure if that adds to the stress. The semi-final itself is pressure-laden, especially against a formidable side like New Zealand.

"There's no extra pressure, and I'm pleased to be considered favorites. As a South African team, we prefer to play with expectations because being an underdog comes with less burden. We don’t discuss this tag much.

"If we continue our current performance, a bit of luck might be necessary for a favorable outcome on Wednesday, and then we can head to our home ground in Ahmedabad," Conrad remarked during the post-match press briefing.

South Africa's impressive performance occurs amid uncertainty regarding their travel plans due to the closure of Middle Eastern airspace following strikes in Iran. However, Conrad assured that these issues had not hindered his team's preparations or unity.

"Of course, it comes up in discussions, so it can't be ignored. We’ll focus on perfecting our yorkers and capitalizing on poor deliveries, despite these conversations. We trust that our manager, in collaboration with the ICC, will make the right decisions. Our entire focus is on Kolkata and playing New Zealand on Wednesday," he stated.

When asked if there were areas where the Proteas faced minimal challenges, Conrad responded that he did not see any significant gaps, although he acknowledged that the fielding unit occasionally fell short of their established standards.

"I found the Afghanistan match crucial, as it could have easily swung in their favor, increasing our pressure against New Zealand. It truly united the group. Regarding your question, we simply continue our usual approach.

"We play excellent cricket, so there's no need to search for nonexistent issues. I still believe we can create more opportunities in the field. Our catching has been a bit disappointing, but I don't want to be overly critical at this moment.

"We're playing top-notch cricket, and as we've done in recent weeks, we’ll double down on our strategies for the next few days. Tomorrow, we’ll fly out, get ample rest, assess everyone's fitness, and then move forward," he added.

Much of South Africa's triumph stems from their pace attack, with Lungi Ngidi standing out as the most effective weapon. The success is notable given that South Africa lacks a specialist wrist-spinner, but Conrad believes that relying on their strengths has been pivotal to their success.

"Our bowling attack is designed to provide wicket-taking options, which we’ve emphasized, especially with players like KG and Marco making significant impacts through wicket-taking. Although we didn't travel with a mystery spinner, Lungi Ngidi serves as a 'mystery seamer' in the middle overs and power play.

"We aim to make an impact with the ball, whether by taking wickets or controlling the run rate. Boshie has performed exceptionally well, particularly during the death overs. Our bowlers are well-versed in Test match lengths, which can be challenging for batters to consistently hit.

"You might succeed once or twice, but to do so repeatedly requires exceptional skill. There’s always room for improvement, yet we’re pleased with our progress. A few players rested today and will be prepared for Wednesday," he commented.

South Africa's choice to travel without a wrist spinner raised eyebrows, but Conrad clarified that it was a conscious strategic decision based on available resources. "We don’t have a wrist spinner in our squad. Some might suggest we should utilize one, but we must make do with what we have, and South African cricket has traditionally been known for its fast bowlers. When I refer to fast bowlers, I mean those capable of bowling 145 km/h or more. This is where we’ve focused our efforts, acknowledging we lack wrist or mystery spinners.

"We believe that in India, being able to deliver yorkers, execute change-ups, and maintain good pace on potentially tricky pitches can be effective. This strategy has paid off, so we’re committed to leveraging our strengths—our quick bowlers—and enhancing their skills accordingly," he concluded.

Conrad also noted that resting Marco Jansen and Kagiso Rabada was due to illness, assuring that they would be fit for the crucial semi-final. "Today was about managing our players. Marco didn’t perform well recently and is feeling slightly unwell.

"But he’ll be ready. KG is in the same situation. In our last game, Lungi didn’t play, while KG did, so it’s really about managing their health. We hope they recover well after resting and will be ready for action on Wednesday."