South Africa Look To Avoid Dropping Another World Cup Against Namesis Australia

South Africa has to finally shed the World Cup “chokers” tag by defeating Australia in the semi-final match on November 16 (Tuesday) at Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. It might feel doubly sweet given the prominent role their opponents have played in creating the myth of the panicky Proteas.

Nearly 25 years have passed since the classic 1999 World Cup semi-final happened where South Africa just required one run from 4 balls to win. But it was a draw match and SA is considered as lost because of Australia’s higher-placed finish in the Super Sixes stage. It remains a historical reference point for all the ills that have since befallen the Proteas at World Cups.

While the CWC semifinal was dramatic enough in isolation, South Africa’s doom was actually a tragicomedy in two parts, with one being the final Super Six match against Australia earlier. Australia captain Steve Waugh played the villain to perfection by scoring a century after being bizarrely reprieved by Herschelle Gibbs. “You have just dropped the World Cup”, the words attributed to Waugh after Gibb’s drop, though neither player has ever corroborated the remark.

ODI World Cup 2023: Kane Williamson Believes in Striking Balance Between ODI and T20 Formats

South Africa is chasing 214 for victory in the team re-match in the semifinal and entered the final over at 205 for 9 with Lance Klusener on strike and tail-ender Allan Donald at the other end. The first 2 balls leave South Africa needing one run from the final four balls for a place in their maiden World Cup final.

Klusener mishit the next 2 deliveries but made an ill-fated dash for a run on the second, only for Donald to be caught unawares. South Africa’s humiliation was complete when Donald dropped his bat when finally taking off for the run and the wicketkeeper whipped off the balls.
History Remainder

World Cup setbacks have piled up for the Proteas ever since. South Africa was eliminated from their home World Cup in 2003 after miscalculating the winning target in not supported weather match against Sri Lanka. After 4 years, they crashed a heavy defeat in the semis against Australia. In the World Cup 2011 quarter-final match they are beaten by New Zealand. In 2015, New Zealand’s player Grant Elliot smashed Dale Steyn for 6 to sink South Africa in the semifinal.

Former Australian wicketkeeper Brad Haddin said that he would waste no time in bringing up South Africa’s World Cup misfires if he was playing against them on Thursday. “I’d be reminding them of that (history) as soon as we walk on the field,” TV pundit Haddin said this week. “They’ll have enough going on in their own heads and we’ll have a few players reminding them of that.”

ICC Champions Trophy 2025: List of 8 Teams That Have Qualified