The second semi-final of ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 promises to be a mouth-watering contest. Five-time champions Australia are smelling blood after a string of resurgent performances in the league stage and will take on South Africa, who had a convincing run in the group phase, barring the odd hiccups. The two teams will lock horns at the Eden Gardens on Thursday, November 16, with the winner proceeding to the summit clash in Ahmedabad on Sunday, November 19. (Streaming | Match Blog | Scorecard | Preview)
The Proteas thrashed the Aussies by 134 runs in their league-phase clash in Lucknow, but that may not give Temba Bavuma's side the upper hand, given their national team's history in the ODI World Cup. It is not for no reason that South Africa are considered as the perennial underperformers when it comes to big-ticket ICC events.
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In most editions of the 50-over World Cup, South Africa go in as a contender for the title. They usually begin well too, as evidenced by the fact that the Proteas have not qualified for the knockout stage just twice in the showpiece tournament's history - in 2003 and 2019. Yet, the nation has never progressed beyond the semi-finals, giving rise to the unwanted tag of 'chokers' for them.
Here's a look at South Africa's semi-final performances over the years in the ODI World Cup:
1992
The South Africa men's cricket team made their debut in World Cup cricket this year. After a strong show in the round-robin games, South Africa finished third in the points tally and faced England in the semi-final in Sydney. But the Proteas got knocked out in dramatic fashion in a rain-interrupted affair. Left needing 21 runs off one ball after the last rain delay, South Africa lost the match by 19 runs. England's Graeme Hick was the player of the match for his 90-ball 83.
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1999
In the 1999 World Cup, South Africa cleared the group stage and Super Sixes hurdle to secure a place in the semi-finals. However, in one of the most thrilling - but heart-breaking from the Proteas' perspective - matches in World Cup history, South Africa tied the semi-final against Australia after Allan Donald was famously run out when the scores were level. Since Australia had a better net run rate in the group stage, the Proteas were knocked out of the tournament, just a run short of the final.
2007
South Africa again made the last-four stage after qualifying from the group stage and Super Eight phase. But in the semi-final played in Saint Lucia, Australia bowled out the Proteas for 149 and then chased down the target with seven wickets and 111 balls to end the Graeme Smith-led team’s campaign. Glenn McGrath was the player of the match for his fabulous bowling figures of 3/18.
2015
In the 2015 edition of the World Cup, organised jointly by Australia and New Zealand, South Africa beat Sri Lanka by nine wickets in the quarterfinals to make the semi-finals. But they again suffered an agonizingly narrow defeat in the last-four stage, this time against New Zealand. Grant Elliot played the innings of his life (unbeaten 84 off 73 balls) to take the Kiwis home with just one ball to spare in Auckland.
2023
The latest edition of the World Cup has seen another competent group-stage performance from South Africa, who won seven out of nine games to make the semis cut. Barring a shocking loss to the Netherlands and a capitulation against India, the Proteas have been dominant and hardly given their opponents a sniff. It remains to be seen, however, if that can traslate to an unprecedented semi-final victory for Temba Bavuma's team.
