The unanswered question about South Africa is what happens if the top order fails.
Jansen appears a place too high at number seven. Will they feel free to go hard in a knockout game?
The Proteas are also unique among the semi-finalists in that they do not have a wrist spinner in their XI, instead leaving their spin duties to left-arm finger spinner Keshav Maharaj and part-time off-spinner Markram.
It has meant the Proteas have bowled the fewest amount of spin overs in the tournament – just 22.8%.
In contrast, 53% of England’s overs have been from spinners.
“You can only pretty much cut your coat according to your cloth size and we don’t have wrist spinners or mystery spinners,” Conrad said.
“Our bowling attack was fashioned in such a way that we’ve got wicket-taking options and that’s something that we’ve driven, especially with guys like KG [Rabada] and Marco [Jansen] – their impact in the match will be through taking wickets.”
South Africa’s gaps have been filled by Ngidi, who Conrad calls a “mystery seamer”, and seamer Corbin Bosch.
Ngidi is known for his range of slower balls.
He has only conceded 6.2 runs per over in the middle phase of the innings while the unheralded Bosch has taken six wickets in that period.
“They’re all Test-match bowlers so bowling a Test-match length doesn’t come difficult to them so and I think that’s still a really tough length to hit consistently.
“Bosch keeps it really, really simple, he trains smartly, he trains hard, he doesn’t give himself too many options.
“We have Lungi that’s got a really deceptive slower ball and then Marco and KG are Marco and KG.
“It’s nice to be able to have that sort of variety.”
In 2024, India became the first team to win the T20 World Cup unbeaten. If South Africa are to win it, they will now have to do the same.
“The South Africa side look ready,” said former England captain Michael Vaughan.
“I do think that World Test Championship final victory at Lord’s has given them that boost.
“India played the pure game to the [50-over World Cup] final in 2023 and had one blip in the final [against Australia]. That is the one fear I have for South Africa.”
