CWC 2023, Semi Final, Australia VS South Africa Played at Eden Gardens, Kolkata on 16 November ,2023
South Africa 212 All Out (David Miller 101, Henrich Klassen 47, Mitchel Starc 3/34, Pat Cummins 3/52, Jos Hazlewood 2/12, Travis Head 2/21)
Australia 215/7 in 47.2 Overs (Travis Head 62, Steve Smith 30, David Warner 29, Josh Inglis 28, Marnus Labuchagne 18, Mitchel Starc 16*, Pat Cummins 14*, Tabraiz Shamsi 2/42, Gerald Coetzee 2/47, Keshav Maharaj 1/24, Aiden Markram 1/23. Kagiso Rabada 1/41)
Australia Won by 3 Wickets with 16 balls to spare
Player of the match: Travis Head (62 and 2/21)
On a wicket not too friendly for batting five times champions Australia proving superior to South Africa won the tight contest beating them by 3 wickets. Australia will meet host India in the final on 19 November at Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad.
Batting first on a wicket favoring pace at the start and spin as the match progressed South Africa surviving early scare produced 212 all out. A very determined South Africa made Australia toil and ultimately went down fighting. Australia keeping their nerves cool won scoring 215/7.
Two semi finals on two consecutive days witnessed two different types of contests. India VS New Zealand at Mumbai was ahigh scoring derby. Australia VS South Africa witnessed a low scoring intense contest. The wicket had steep bounce, lateral movement. The sky was overcast with the possibility of rain interruption. Australia with very strong pace attack (horses for the courses) fancy such condition. Temba Bavuma winning the toss had no option but to bat. But whether Bavuma should have rested himself letting Reza Hendricks play will be debated. Mitchel Starc (3/34) and Josh Hazlewood (2/12) taking advantage of helpful condition reduced protean to 4/24 by the 12th Over. As the ball lost shine wicket started gripping and turning. However, David Miller (101) and Henrich Klassen (47) adding 95 runs for the 5th wicket partnership turned around. Miller, the killer struck 8 fours and 5 sixes in his wonderful innings of 101. Henrich Klassen scored 47 off 48 deliveries. Australia fielded brilliantly like Kangaroos. David Warner and Marnus Labuchagne perhaps saved 25-30 runs through superb ground fielding. In a low scoring tight contest this mattered. The first power play of batting of the two teams made the difference.
Australia started their chase in a hurry. Travis Head (62) and David Warner (29) raced to 60 in the first wicket partnership by the 7th over while South Africa was 3/22 in the first 10 overs power play. However, protean bounced back after Aiden Markram successfully halted fiery David Warner striking 4 massive sixes in his 18 ball 29. Wicket was taking turn, bounce was uneven. Protean bowlers kept on taking wickets at regular intervals. Travis Head innings of 62 scored off 48 balls made the difference. His 45 runs 3rd wicket partnership with Steve Smith (30) in the contest of the low scoring match proved huge. South Africa dropped few catches which hurt their cause. Aussies managed few small but useful partnership. Keeping their cool in very tight contest Australia managed to win by 3 wickets scoring 215/7 with 16 balls to spare. It was heart breaking semi final once again for South Africa. Such a high voltage match should have been played on a sporting wicket. Australia was better team of the day and deserved to win. However, David Miller produced one of the finest innings seen in the knockout stage of world cup.
After 45 group stage matches of 10 teams and two semifinals two hot favorites of CWC 2023 moved to the finals. It will be seen whether Australia, the Brazil of Cricket World Cup makes it 6th or India, the Argentina of Cricket wins its 3rd world title. Cricket admirers will love to witness a keen contest on a sporting surface.
BDST: 0633 HRS, NOV 17, 2023
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