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New Zealand may be entering Tuesday's ICC World Cup semifinal match as favourites, but the result will depend on which team can absorb the most pressure during the key moments, says South African middle-order batsman David Miller.

The South Africans were at their very best when they made quick work of Sri Lanka in the ICC World Cup quarter-final match at the Sydney Cricket Ground on Wednesday, winning by 9 wickets with all of 32 overs to spare. It is the first time the Proteas have ever won a World Cup knock-out game.

"Everybody in the team, especially the senior guys, want to be the guys to make the big plays for us - with the bat, ball, and in the field," Proteas captain Hashim Amla said ahead of South Africa's quarter-final game against Sri Lanka at the Sydney Cricket Ground on Wednesday.

Another record-breaking knock from captain AB De Villiers saw South Africa easing into the quarter-finals of the ICC World Cup on Thursday. The Proteas beat the United Arab Emirates by 146 runs.

South African umpire Johan Cloete officiated his 50th one-day international match on Sunday when hosts New Zealand took on Afghanistan at McLean Park in Napier at the ICC Cricket World Cup.

The South Africans took time out from their World Cup preparations in New Zealand to join a team of young fans on the pitch at Eden Park, Auckland, to help raise awareness around adolescent Aids and encourage young fans to learn more about HIV.

It was another record-breaking day for the Proteas as Hashim Amla and Faf du Plessis shared a second-wicket stand of 247 against the Irish in their World Cup pool match at Canberra on Tuesday. The Proteas scored more than 200 runs in the final 20 overs for the second match in a row.

Proteas' assistant coach Adrian Birrell says the South Africans are taking their World Cup group match against Ireland on Tuesday morning seriously. The Irish "bat long and deep. They know how to chase targets ... We are fully aware of what they can do," says Birrell, who coached Ireland from 2002 to 2007.

As the South Africans knuckle down to final preparations for their match against India on Sunday at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, all-rounder JP Duminy says his team mates have taken a lot of confidence from their 62-run win against Zimbabwe.

"South Africa, your time has arrived to conquer ," Sports Minister Mbalula Fikile told the Proteas at a send-off in Johannesburg ahead of the team's departure for New Zealand, where the 2015 Cricket World Cup is about to begin.