Australia defeated South Africa by 3 wickets in a thrilling match, will face India in the final.
Australia has made it to the final of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023. In the second semi-final match played on Wednesday at the historic Eden Gardens in Kolkata, the Kangaroo team defeated South Africa by 3 wickets. South Africa once again came on a big stage like the World Cup semi-finals and played as per the label of ‘chokers’.
The final match of the World Cup 2023 between India and Australia will be played on Sunday 19 November at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. The Australian team has shown an amazing performance in the second semi-final against South Africa.
After winning the toss and batting first, South Africa scored 212 runs in 49.4 overs and set a target of 213 runs for Australia to win. For South Africa, explosive batsman David Miller played an innings of 101 runs in 116 balls.
Apart from David Miller, Heinrich Klaasen scored 47 runs in 48 balls. For Australia, fast bowlers Mitchell Starc and Pat Cummins took maximum 3-3 wickets. Josh Hazlewood and Travis Head took 2-2 wickets. The South African team disintegrated under pressure and failed to score a big score against Australia.
Chasing the target, the Australian team won the match by scoring 215 runs in 47.2 overs and booked the ticket for the final. Earlier, South Africa was able to reach a respectable score thanks to David Miller’s 101-run century innings played in pressure-filled conditions.
South Africa again played as per their ‘chokers’ label when their top four batsmen Quinton de Kock (03), Temba Bavuma (0), Rassie van der Dussen (06) and Aiden Markram (10) reached the pavilion in 12 overs. Due to which his score was 24 runs for four wickets.
Mitchell Starc (10-1-34-3) and Josh Hazlewood (8-3-12-2) took full advantage of the conditions and took early wickets. Then there was a break of 40 minutes due to rain interruption, when South Africa’s score was 44 runs for four wickets in 14 overs.
After this, Miller scored his sixth ODI century in 116 balls with eight fours and five sixes. This was also South Africa’s first century in a World Cup knockout match. Miller had no problem on the turning pitch and he seemed to dominate Adam Zampa’s balls, due to which the Australian bowler gave away 55 runs in his seven overs.
Miller completed his century by hitting a 94 meter six over Pat Cummins at square leg. Miller’s 95-run partnership with Heinrich Klaasen (47 runs) for the fifth wicket gave South Africa some relief but then makeshift off-spinner Travis Hayden gave a blow to South Africa’s hopes by taking two wickets in two balls.
After Klaasen, Gerald Coetzee (19) supported Miller and both made a partnership of 53 runs for the seventh wicket. But Coetzee was caught by wicketkeeper Josh Inglis on Cummins’ ball. Although the replays showed that the ball had hit his elbow but he did not take a review. Then Miller was also out in the 48th over.
South Africa had lost two matches chasing the target, due to which captain Temba Bavuma won the toss and decided to bat. Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood, who bowled with the new ball for Australia, bowled brilliantly and took two wickets for South Africa’s 17 runs in the powerplay.
