Australia, five-time champions, secured their berth in the 50-over World Cup final after a tense three-wicket victory against South Africa in the second semi-final on Thursday. They will face India in the final on Sunday.
The Australian team laid a solid groundwork for their win by restricting South Africa to 212, a total deemed below-par, despite David Miller’s resilient 101 at Eden Gardens.
The chase, however, presented challenges for Pat Cummins and his team. Travis Head, who was named the man-of-the-match for his 62-run innings, spearheaded Australia’s initial assault. Yet, the team faced a mid-inning stumble that put them under pressure.
South Africa, though effective in preventing significant partnerships, was hampered by their low total, allowing Australia to prevail with 16 balls remaining eventually. This win marks Australia’s eighth appearance in the World Cup final.
Cummins lauded his team’s fielding effort, acknowledging its significance in their success, especially given some initial shortcomings in the tournament.
South Africa’s decision to bat first under cloudy conditions, with captain Temba Bavuma not fully recovered from a hamstring strain, proved costly. His early dismissal for a four-ball duck highlighted the questionable nature of this decision.
Australia capitalized on their fielding prowess, with Cummins’ exceptional catch to dismiss Quinton de Kock being a highlight. South Africa struggled with the bat, managing their first boundary only in the ninth over and slumping to 24-4 by the 12th over.
The match saw an interruption due to drizzle, but on resumption, Heinrich Klaasen (47) and Miller steadied the South African innings. Despite this, Australia regained control with Head’s timely wickets.
In contrast, Australia began their chase assertively, racing to 60 runs in the first 10 overs. South Africa’s spinners, particularly Keshav Maharaj and Tabraiz Shamsi, later brought some vitality back into the game with crucial wickets.
Steve Smith (30) and Josh Inglis (28) contributed valuable runs, but South Africa continued to fight back. Ultimately, it was the partnership between Cummins and Mitchell Starc that clinched Australia’s victory.
Bavuma, reflecting on the match, acknowledged the team’s character but rued the early setbacks with bat and ball as critical turning points.
