* New Zealand were playing their seventh and third straight World Cup semi-finals, but they had lost out in 2007 and 2011.
* South Africa, on the other hand, were playing their fourth semi-final. They last progressed to this stage in 2007.
* It was the third semi-final in World Cup history where scores had to be adjusted following rain. The first was England vs South Africa in 1992 and the other being Australia vs Sri Lanka in 2003.
* Trent Boult, with 21 wickets now, has the most wickets by a New Zealand bowler in a single World Cup. Geoff Allott had claimed 20 wickets in 1999.
* AB de Villiers, with 471 runs in this World Cup, now has the second most runs by a South African in a single edition. Jacques Kallis, with 485, runs has the most.
* South Africa’s score of 281-5 is the third highest score made when batting first in a World Cup semi-final. The highest is 293-6 by West Indies against Pakistan at the Oval in 1979.
* Grant Eliott’s score of 84* is now the second highest score by a New Zealand batsman in the last four stage. Martin Crowe had scored 91 against Pakistan at Auckland in 1992.
* New Zealand’s score of 299-6 is now the highest score successfully chased in all semi-final clashes in World Cup history. The previous highest score chased to win is Pakistan’s 264-6 in reply to New Zealands 262-7 at Auckland in 1992.
* New Zealand go into the final unbeaten throughout the tournament.
* South Africa remain the only top Test playing nation not to be in a World Cup final yet.
* It has taken New Zealand 39 years nine months, 18 days and six semi-final losses to make their first World Cup final.
* Elliott is now the only second South African born to be in a World Cup final. Allan Lamb, who played the 1987 & 1992 finals for England, was the first.
