In a highly anticipated semi-final clash, South Africa and Australia, seasoned rivals with a rich history in the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023 (CWC23), are set to battle it out at Eden Gardens, Kolkata, on Thursday, November 16.
Having crossed paths numerous times in past World Cup editions and recent encounters leading up to this tournament, both teams enter this knockout fixture with a shared determination to secure a spot in the tournament decider on Sunday.
During the group stage, each team suffered only two defeats — South Africa to India and the Netherlands, and Australia to South Africa and the tournament hosts.
Notably, their previous encounter in Lucknow saw South Africa dominate with Quinton de Kock’s century leading to a convincing 134-run victory.
Australia has since regained confidence, marked by standout performances from Glenn Maxwell’s explosive batting against Afghanistan and Adam Zampa’s impressive bowling throughout the tournament.
While South Africa faced a setback with a low score of 83 against India at Eden Gardens, expectations are high for a high-scoring duel this time, given the strength of both teams’ batting line-ups.
The toss may play a crucial role, as both sides aim to showcase their formidable top six and set a formidable total while batting first.
Australia has a history of overpowering South Africa at this stage in previous World Cups, particularly in 1999 and 2007. Pat Cummins’ side aims to continue this trend, but Temba Bavuma’s resilient team has already proven itself as a formidable force in the current tournament, demanding respect and attention.
As the stage is set for an epic encounter, cricket fans can anticipate a thrilling showdown between South Africa and Australia in the semi-final at Kolkata.
