Park Street, Kolkata's throbbing artery, day and night, at all hours, come rain or Ramadan, lay soft and silent under Tuesday's weighty afternoon sun. Most of its usually buzzing shops and restaurants were closed, presenting only grimly shuttered roller doors to the world. The pavements, invariably strewn with bustling locals and strolling tourists, were ruled by solitary, sprawling dogs.

Flurys Cafe was, of course, open. As it has been since 1927. Ninety-nine years on, it is still serving colonialism in bite-sized chunks and slurps to the pinkie-raising classes. Likewise Peter Cat, where the chelo kebab has been a hit since 1975.

But, mostly, a comfortable lull in the city's freneticism was firmly in place. Where was everyone? Some among the smattering of people who were out wore answers to that question on their faces and clothes in the form of dashes of vivid colour.

In Kolkata - not everywhere - Tuesday was Dol Jatra, the festival signalled by Holi, the liberal dashing of pigmented powder to mark the triumph of good over evil and the advent of spring.

Nothing like conflict prevailed a kilometre or two away at Eden Gardens, which was even quieter than Park Street. The ground was lightly sprinkled with groundstaff dutifully preparing one of the game's great arenas for its umpteenth close-up.

Later, once the sun had settled into its downward slip, New Zealand would train. Followed by South Africa. For now, in this liminal time and place, nothing much moved.

It will be different on Wednesday. Not only will Park Street have sprung back to life, Eden Gardens will heave with thousands of people come to see the men's T20 World Cup semifinal. Maybe not as many as the 67,000 - and maybe more - who would fill the place were India playing. But a significant number nonetheless. Because Kolkata is a proper cricket town.

South Africa have an interesting relationship with Eden Gardens. This is where they came back in from almost 22 years in the cold in November 1991. And where, in November 1996, they won a Test in India for the first time. And where they gifted Virat Kohli a birthday hundred in November 2023. And where, later that same month, they crashed out of the World Cup in their semifinal against Australia. But it's also where, in November last year, they won a Test in India for the first time since February 2010 in Nagpur. That set up their first Test series win in India in more than 25 years.

What is it about South Africa in Kolkata in November? We'll leave that to the astrologists to ponder. The cricketminded among us will wonder what it is about New Zealand and South Africa in global white-ball tournaments.

They've met 17 times in men's ICC events, of which South Africa have won nine. But New Zealand have emerged victorious in all three knockout games between the teams - a World Cup quarterfinal in Dhaka in 2011 and semifinal in Auckland in 2015, and a Champions Trophy semifinal in Lahore last year.

In T20I terms, South Africa have won a dozen of the 19 matches between the teams. They've also come out on top in all five of their T20 World Cup games against the New Zealanders. But none of those encounters was in the knockout stages.

South Africa have never played a match in the format at Eden Gardens. They had an October 2015 T20I there washed out without a ball bowled. Maybe because it wasn't scheduled in November. New Zealand have had two in Kolkata; won one, lost one. All told, the South Africans have won four and lost six at Eden Gardens. The Kiwis have won two, lost two, and drawn two.

When the Springboks and the All Blacks play against each other, the rugby world stops whatever it's doing and watches. When the Proteas take on the Black Caps, not so much. Even in a World Cup knockout match. Even at Eden Gardens.

Wednesday's game is unlikely to buck that trend. But the winners will be the toast of Park Street. At least, until they - perhaps - meet India in Sunday's final in Ahmedabad.