The first semi-final of the World Championship of Legends (WCL) 2026 will see South Africa Champions take on England Champions at Sharjah Cricket Stadium on October 16, 2026. With a place in the final on the line, both teams will be eager to deliver their best performance and secure a victory. South Africa Champions have enjoyed an impressive campaign, finishing at the top of the points table with 10 points without losing a single match. On the other hand, England Champions have secured fourth place with four points. Both teams will now battle for a place in the final, scheduled for October 18, 2026.

AB de Villiers has been one of the standout performers of the season. He has scored 237 runs in four innings at an impressive strike rate of 211.60, making him one of the leading run-scorers in the competition. Meanwhile, England Champions will rely heavily on their experienced players to overcome the challenge posed by South Africa. Ravi Bopara has been their leading performer with the bat, scoring 215 runs in five innings at a strike rate of 179.17. His contribution will be crucial if England hope to secure a place in the final.

In their previous meeting in this season's tournament, South Africa Champions defeated England Champions by nine runs. England will be looking to avenge that defeat, while South Africa will aim to maintain their winning momentum and continue their unbeaten run.

Pitch Report

The pitch at Sharjah Cricket Stadium is generally considered favourable for batters. The relatively short boundaries provide plenty of opportunities to score quickly, especially for batters who settle in and time the ball well. However, bowlers can still make an impact by using variations, maintaining disciplined lines and lengths, and avoiding deliveries that allow batters to free their arms. Spinners could also become influential as the match progresses.

SA C Predicted Playing 11s: Richard Levi, Faf du Plessis, AB de Villiers(c), Jean-Paul Duminy, Colin Ingram, Morne van Wyk(w), Wayne Parnell, Shaun von Berg, Marchant de Lange, Hardus Viljoen, Imran Tahir

ENG C Predicted Playing 11s: Jason Roy, Ravi Bopara(c), Dawid Malan, Samit Patel, Phil Mustard(w), Liam Plunkett, Toby Roland-Jones, Jonathan Trott, Ajmal Shahzad, Ryan Sidebottom, Monty Panesar