Australia Defeats South Africa to Qualify for World Cup Final With India

Australia defeated South Africa by three wickets in the second semi-final of the ICC World Cup 2023 at Eden Gardens, Kolkata, on Thursday.

Australia, now playing for their their sixth World Cup title, will face India in the highly anticipated final on November 19 in Ahmedabad. The clash between these cricketing powerhouses is expected to draw over 100,000 spectators.

Despite a seemingly modest target, the Australians opened their innings with gusto, maintaining a brisk run rate of 7 runs per over. The early loss of David Warner (29 off 18) and Mitchell Marsh (0 off 6) in successive overs did little to dampen their spirits, as Travis Head took charge against the South African bowlers.

While wickets fell during the middle overs, with Keshav Maharaj and Tabraiz Shamsi’s spin proving challenging, Travis Head’s resilient innings kept Australia in the game. Gerald Coetzee’s crucial wickets, dismissing well-set batters Steve Smith and Josh Inglis, added tension to the match. Yet, Mitchell Starc and skipper Pat Cummins steadied the ship, guiding Australia to victory after a hard-fought battle, chasing the target in 47.2 overs. Head led the charge with 62 runs.

This marks the fifth occasion that South Africa has reached the World Cup semi-final and faced defeat, with previous instances in 1992, 1999, 2007, and 2015. The “choker” tag seems to persist for the Proteas.

Opting to bat first, South Africa struggled against the formidable Australian bowling attack, losing early wickets. Mitchell Starc claimed the wicket of skipper Temba Bavuma for a duck at the end of the first over. Quinton de Kock’s early dismissal in the sixth over added to their troubles, and the Proteas found themselves at 24-4 in 11.5 overs.

Heinrich Klaasen and David Miller provided a crucial 95-run partnership, rescuing South Africa from a dire situation. However, Travis Head’s double blow, removing Klaasen on 47 runs and handing Marco Jansen a golden duck, increased the pressure. Despite these setbacks, David Miller showcased resilience, scoring a hard-fought century with eight fours and five sixes, but he was soon dismissed on 101 runs.

South Africa concluded their innings at 212 runs in 49.4 overs, with Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood, and Pat Cummins combining for eight wickets in a formidable display of bowling prowess.