South Africa’s cricketing saga of disappointment in crucial encounters continued as they faced a heart-wrenching defeat against Australia in the semi-final clash in Kolkata on Thursday.
Known for their struggles in high-stakes matches, South Africa once again found themselves on the wrong side of the result, reigniting discussions around their historical tendency to falter in knockout stages.
The term ‘chokers’ has been synonymous with the Proteas since their return to international cricket in 1992, and the recent loss to Australia only adds another chapter to this narrative.
South Africa’s history of faltering in decisive moments dates back to the 1992 World Cup semi-final. This unfortunate turn of events marked the beginning of the ‘chokers’ tag.
In subsequent years, instances like Lance Klusener’s valiant efforts in the 1999 World Cup and the misjudgment in the 2003 edition against Sri Lanka further fueled this narrative.
The Proteas’ repeated struggles in crucial matches, such as the 2007 semi-final against Australia and the 2011 quarter-final versus New Zealand, underscore the team’s challenges in overcoming the ‘choker’ label.
The pain continued in the 2015 World Cup semi-final, where South Africa’s fielding lapses allowed New Zealand to chase down 298, leading to another heartbreak.
For this year elimination, Travis Head of Australia takes the credit to driving out the chokers out of the tournament and guiding Australia to a hard-fought three-wicket victory over them.
Head’s notable contributions with both bat and ball set up a World Cup final showdown with India.
Chasing a challenging target of 213, Australia faced some tense moments after Head’s impressive 62, but the combination of Steve Smith (30) and Josh Inglis (28) steered the five-time champions to victory with 16 balls to spare.
Despite a stellar innings from David Miller, who scored 101 runs, South Africa endured their fifth semi-final defeat. Australia found themselves in a precarious position at 137-5 and later at 193-7, but Mitchell Starc (16) and skipper Pat Cummins (14) held their nerve, securing Australia’s eighth World Cup final appearance.
Left-handed batsman and part-time off-spinner Head shone brightly, claiming two crucial wickets and contributing a vital 48-ball innings, featuring nine fours and two sixes. Australia’s journey in the tournament began with two losses, but they showcased resilience, securing their eighth consecutive win.
Starc led the bowling attack with figures of 3-34, while Cummins also impressed, picking up three wickets to restrict South Africa to 212 in 49.4 overs. Starc’s early dismissal of South Africa captain Temba Bavuma set the tone, and a stunning catch by Cummins removed in-form Quinton de Kock for three.
The new-ball bowlers, including Josh Hazlewood, kept the pressure on, reducing South Africa to 24-4 and causing a brief interruption due to rain when they were 44-4. After the rain delay, Klaasen and Miller staged a comeback with a 95-run partnership, but Head’s breakthroughs, including the crucial wicket of Klaasen for 47, kept Australia in the game.
In a dramatic twist, Head had a chance for a hat-trick, trapping Marco Jansen lbw on the next delivery, but Gerald Coetzee’s resilience saved South Africa with a 53-run partnership alongside Miller. Miller’s left-handed brilliance included eight fours and five sixes in his 116-ball knock.
