"See you in the final." The three South African reporters covering the men's T20 World Cup heard that a lot. Always from Indian colleagues, and usually in the afterglow of another win by Aiden Markram's team.

The Indians would say this as if it was an established fact; that it had been written in the big book of what will happen, no matter what that India and South Africa would meet in the final. The South Africans would shrug, and offer a noncommittal sideways tilt of the head. And for good reason.

The team they write about had reached precisely one men's white-ball final from their first global event, the 1992 World Cup. One. That was the 2024 version of the current tournament, a heart-rending, throat-grabbing match that India won by seven runs.

See you in the final?

Says who?

Have you watched these guys?

Thing is, the South African reporters had indeed watched this edition of these guys. And seen for themselves that, unlike their predecessors, they refused to panic. And that they found a way out of difficult places, like when they hung tough through two super overs to beat Afghanistan. And shambled to 20/3 against India before winning by 76 runs. And that they had reeled off seven straight victories, which made them the only unbeaten side among the 20 who had started the tournament.

See you in the final?

Maybe ..

South Africa should, after all, beat New Zealand in their semifinal at Eden Gardens on Wednesday. They had, after all again, smacked them by seven wickets with 17 balls to spare in the group stage.

But that was in Ahmedabad, where the South Africans played five of their seven games. The two matches in Delhi were against the United Arab Emirates and a Zimbabwe side run ragged by losses in their first two Super Eights fixtures. Had they come up against sterner opposition in India's capital, the narrative might have taken a twist or two. They didn't, and so the thought took hold: maybe ...

The New Zealanders had been in Chennai for three games, in Colombo for three more, and to Ahmedabad - to play South Africa. They weren't, mostly, confined to one set of conditions. They had to make a plan in various situations, and they also lost to England.

The Kiwis knew they weren't invincible. Did the South Africans think they were? Was that the difference that became New Zealand's thumping nine-wicket win with 43 balls unspent?

No. All 15 of South Africa's players turned out for training in Kolkata on Tuesday evening, even though the session was optional. That means Quinton de Kock, who hasn't been seen at an optional session since he first had to shave, was there.

Similarly, reports and social media swill before the match that Shukri Conrad showed arrogance were wrongheaded. We should be grateful that Conrad talks a wonderfully zesty game. Who needs another mealy-mouthed coach replying to predictable questions with predictable answers?

Almost every cricket press conference sounds rehearsed. It's as if the questioners know what they want the questionees to say, that the questionees know what they are supposed to say, and that they duly oblige. Never, it can seem, does anyone ask a question they don't know the answer to. Spontaneity is not allowed. Conrad is an antidote to this sorry state of affairs.

"We got moered. We got a proper snotklap. We chose a really crappy time to have a poor night."

Conrad's three short sentences said more about Wednesday's match than the combined weight of the thousands of words reporters wrote. After his press conference, Ashwell Prince fronted up for the mixed zone. Turns out he volunteered to come and explain what had gone so wrong. That's what taking responsibility means.

A major chunk of what went wrong for South Africa on Wednesday was that Mitchell Santner won the toss. That's not to say the South Africans would have won had they fielded first and asked the Kiwis to find a way to score runs on a slow, sticky surface. But there's a good chance the match would have been more competitive had that happened.

Of course, New Zealand did nothing wrong. Of course, they used the conditions well. And, of course, South Africa batted badly. Then, of course, Finn Allen batted out of his tattoos for his undefeated 100 off 33.

That's how cricket works. It's unfortunate when it happens to the team you support, or the side you report on. The team everybody, including you, thought would reach the final.

See you in the final? Maybe sometime. Maybe never.