South Africa insist they won’t be burdened by scarring from their chequered report in Cricket World Cup knockout matches once they conflict with Australia on Thursday for a spot within the last. The Proteas have made 4 semi-final appearances within the showpiece – in 1992, 1999, 2007 and 2015 — however have fallen to defeat each time, twice dropping to Australia. In 1999, they misplaced to Australia after a dramatic tie at Edgbaston which noticed their rivals undergo as a consequence of a greater group stage end.
Eight years later, South Africa went down by seven wickets after being bundled out for simply 149 at St Lucia.
Kolkata’s Eden Gardens, nonetheless, may very well be the stage for redemption for South Africa who made the semi-finals by profitable seven of their 9 league matches.
They’ve additionally been racking up spectacular totals together with the best rating in World Cup historical past of 428 within the sport in opposition to Sri Lanka.
The Proteas have gained their final 4 conferences with Australia, together with a 134-run thrashing within the league stage of this World Cup in Lucknow 4 weeks in the past.
“There is not lots of thriller about what’s mendacity forward,” stated quick bowler Gerald Coetzee who has claimed 18 wickets in seven matches.
“We will get calmness out of that, realizing what to anticipate.”
5-time winners Australia are coming off seven straight wins.
That run included Glenn Maxwell‘s one-man rescue mission when his unbeaten 201 led Australia to victory from the brink of defeat at 91-7 in opposition to Afghanistan.
Rassie van der Dussen, who made 76 in South Africa’s concluding group stage win over Afghanistan to take his event complete to 442 runs, additionally shrugged off previous disappointments.
“I used to be 10 years outdated (in 1999), so I do not keep in mind an excessive amount of,” stated Van der Dussen.
“In that 12 months they’d a very good likelihood to win the World Cup. I feel we’ve a very good likelihood as effectively.”
Bavuma health fear
Australia opener Travis Head was 4 when the drama of Edgbaston was performed out in 1999 so prefers to give attention to the problem forward.
“The boys have been invested for a very long time so if we will spend that a lot time right here we would as effectively attempt to go the entire means,” stated Head.
“We have put in lots of arduous work during the last couple of months to get to this stage, so we need to take advantage of it.”
The health of South Africa captain Temba Bavuma stays a priority after he picked up a hamstring harm in opposition to Afghanistan.
However Bavuma is anticipated to play on Thursday after he batted within the nets at Eden Gardens.
South African batting has stood out on the World Cup.
Opener Quinton de Kock‘s 591 runs is second solely to the 594 of Virat Kohli.
The 30-year-old De Kock, who will stop one-day internationals on the finish of the event, has 4 centuries to his title.
A kind of got here in opposition to Australia within the group stage.
However chasing stays a problem for the Proteas as their two defeats — in opposition to India and the Netherlands — each got here batting second.
Australia have mastered chases.
After Maxwell’s epic knock in opposition to Afghanistan, Mitchell Marsh smashed an unbeaten 177 as Australia overhauled the 306 of Bangladesh with 32 balls and eight wickets to spare of their final league match.
Leg-spinner Adam Zampa‘s 22 wickets has put him on prime of the bowling charts.
Opening batsman David Warner is one run in need of 500 together with two centuries and a highest of 163 within the win over Pakistan.
Left-arm fast Mitchell Starc and Maxwell each missed the sport with Afghanistan however are anticipated to return for what might be Australia’s eighth semi-final in 13 editions.
Nonetheless, rain may play spoilsport with downpours forecast for Thursday in addition to Friday’s reserve day.
(This story has not been edited by NDTV employees and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
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