 "World Cup 2023 SA vs AUS: Proteas aim to put history behind at Eden Gardens")
The meeting between South Africa and Australia in the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 at the Eden Gardens on Thursday, November 16, will rekindle the memories of cricket fans about the infamous 199 semi-finals in which the match ended in a tie. Still, Australia went on to play the final as they had more points than the Proteas in the league stage of the tournament.
However, if such is the case this time around, there is a provision for continuous super-overs. And by chance, if the match does not finish for any reason, South Africa would have the advantage of a better net run rate, even as the two teams finished on the same point at the league stage.
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In the 199 semi-finals, Australia made 213 thanks to their captain Steve Waugh’s fighting fifty. Waugh was dropped on zero by Herschcelle Gibbs, the best Proteas fielder in the team. He dropped a sitter, and Waugh allegedly said to him, “ You dropped the World Cup, mate."
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Why are South Africa favourites?
The Proteas are not carrying bad luck this time as they have won close games. They were just outplayed while chasing in the two games in which they lost. Their batting unit is the best in this tournament, with their batters having amassed eight centuries.
Four of them have come to Quinton de Kock alone, including one against the Aussies. Just before the World Cup, South Africa beat Australia in three consecutive ODIs and have comprehensively beaten them in the league stage of this World Cup.
The Zampa effect
Adam Zampa has been brilliant, picking 22 wickets in the nine matches. In reality, the wickets have come in only the last seven matches as he was wicketless in his first two games, including one against South Africa. However, he now has a lot of control over his bowling. In the middle overs, especially against right-handers like Aiden Markram, Rassie van der Dussen and Temba Bvauma, he could be a game-changer with his googlies and turn at the Eden Gardens.
The problems with the chase
South Africa have chased in four matches, and in all, they found themselves in a problem as they lost to India and the Netherlands while scraped through against Pakistan by just one wicket thanks to a lucky DRS call in their favour. In the match against Afghanistan, too, they had lost five wickets, and if it were not for great composure on the part of Rassie van der Dussen, there would have been problems in that chase, too.
Why Australian power hitters could be game-changing?
Mitchell Marsh, David Warner and Travis Head have been in great form, hitting centuries in this World Cup. The likes of Glenn Maxwell and Marcus Stoinis in the death overs could be lethal, and they showed that in the last seven matches, one or the other rose to the occasion and won the game single-handedly.
They could come in handy in the semi-final, too. It will be a battle of the two batting-heavy sides on a pitch that has supported spin throughout all matches played at this venue. Thus, in the battle of power hitters like Markram and Maxwell and class batters- de Kock and Warner, spinners Zampa and Keshav Maharaj hold the key in Kolkata.