Australia vs South Africa Semi-Final: South Africa fought, fought hard, but in the end, the result was the same as it had been in their previous four ODI World Cup semi-finals: loss and heartbreak. The tag of ‘chokers’ continues to live on for the Proteas as Temba Bavuma’s side failed to go past the semi-final stage once again, losing to Australia, once again.
In a thrilling, low-scoring, gripping World Cup 2023 semi-final in Kolkata, Pat Cummins’ Australia beat South Africa by 3 wickets and secured another World Cup final. It will be India to take on Australia in the World Cup 2023 final in Ahmedabad on Sunday.
Australia vs South Africa Semi-Final: ICC CWC 2023
For South Africa, the flight back home will be painful. More so because they lost while batting first for the first time in this tournament, and that their multiple dropped catches could have turned the result in their favor.
As per the Australia vs South Africa Semi-Final, The match felt like a relive of the 1999 World Cup semi-final between these two teams. Although it didn’t end in a tie, Australia progressed to the final, as they did twenty-four years ago.
Despite grey skies and rain forecasted, Bavuma elected to bat first. The Aussies got a perfect start with Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood taking two wickets each in their opening spells. After 13 overs, South Africa were 32/4 and the game looked all but lost.
David Miller and Heinrich Klaasen then did a mini rebuild with their partnership of 95 (113) before part-timer Travis Head struck with wickets of Klaasen and Jansen. Miller carried on, playing others cautiously, but attacking Zampa with four sixes. He got some support from Coetzee and the left-hander raised his century, perhaps the best in his ODI career. South Africa bowled out for 212; 24 years on, South Africa still couldn’t go past 213 in a semi-final against Australia!
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Australia’s initial reply couldn’t have been more thumping: Head and Warner went after the Protea bowlers right from the onset with a 60-run stand in only 6 overs. Australia lost Warner and Mitchell Marsh in quick succession, but Head carried on, riding on his luck of a couple of dropped catches. He finally got out with 62 runs to his name in 48 balls.
At this point, South Africa roared back into the game with wickets and economical bowling. Australia slipped from 106/2 to 137/5, Shamsi going on a madcap celebration with Maxwell’s wicket. But the joy for them in Australia vs South Africa Semi-Final didn’t last long as Smith and Inglis batted sensibly 37 crucial runs before Smith lost his calm and top-edged to De Kock. With Inglis gone at 193/7, the match came alive.
This is where the batting depth of Australia came to the fore as Cummins and Starc forged a sedate, and a bit lucky, a partnership of 22* (46), taking the Aussies over the line and into the final.
Another heartbreak for South Africa and their fans. This one was painful because the Proteas had been superb in the league stage, but the semi-final once again proved too much for them to overcome.
Twitter reactions of fans on South Africa’s defeat in Australia vs South Africa Semi-Final:
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