 "South Africa overcome imperfect record with perfect performance")
South Africa had been in the World Cup semi-finals seven times before, and every time the result was the same. When the ‘chokers’ or the ‘bottlers’ are one step away from the elusive final, the pressure becomes unbearable. Some of the biggest names in the game have experienced some of the most surprising meltdowns in the infamous streak of semi-final defeats for the Proteas.
T20 World Cup 2024: News | Schedule | Results | Points Table
Lance Klusener was the 1999 World Cup’s biggest star but when it came to scoring that match-winning one run from the last five balls, his charisma gave up for callousness under the pressure of expectations. In 2015, the AB de Villiers-led side was in control till the very end before a native South African, Grant Elliot, landed the crushing blow for New Zealand.
1992, 1999, 2007, 2009, 2014, 2015, and 2023 - all these years bear witness to the ignominy and the agony that South Africa had to face, always one step away from THAT final.
Not anymore.
On Thursday, at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy in Tarouba, Trinidad, and on its spicy track, under the lights, the monotonous script was changed forever with a crushing nine-wicket win over another romantic - Afghanistan. South Africa, who had been unbeaten so far in the T20 World Cup 2024, notched up their eighth consecutive win and stormed into the final for the first time. Yes, first time! 33 years after they played their first while-ball match in 1991.
It’s emotional down here.
— Dale Steyn (@DaleSteyn62) June 27, 2024
We’re into a final
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View AllIt wouldn’t have been such a big surprise if it was an Associate side but South Africa, despite facing two-decade isolation due to apartheid, always had some of the best players. Before the isolation, they had Graeme Pollock and after readmission, they have had Daryll Cullinan, Allan Donald, Jacques Kallis, Graeme Smith, and so on.
Talent has never been South Africa’s problem, but temperament has.
So when they entered the semi-finals against high-flying Afghanistan, who had come this far for the first time and after stunning multiple-time world champions Australia on their way, no one probably had 100 per cent conviction that the Proteas would win.
Semi-final 1 stats: Proteas' multiple records to reach first World Cup final
Add to this that even though the team from the Rainbow Nation had won seven matches on the trot before the semi-finals, none of them had been convincing.
In New York, their batters consistently struggled in the group-stage matches but they somehow always managed to cross the line. They defeated Bangladesh and Nepal by 4 runs and 1 run respectively. A few things here and there, South Africa could have bid goodbye in the first round itself.
In the Super Eight, they were much better but largely never in control of their destiny till the end. The USA whacked them for 176 and England and West Indies ran them close. But the Proteas kept winning. That’s the new South Africa. These guys know how to win.
Game. Set. Final Bound. 🇿🇦#ReezaHendricks finishes in style as South Africa extends their unbeaten streak, reaching their first-ever #T20WorldCup final! 👊🏻
— Star Sports (@StarSportsIndia) June 27, 2024
Onto #SemiFinal2 NOW 👉 #INDvENG | TODAY, 6 PM | #T20WorldCupOnStar pic.twitter.com/03Zevhmot6
So when it mattered the most, they brought out their A game.
The fact that Afghanistan decided to bat first on a track that offered uneven bounce some of which could have been considered dangerous also played in South Africa’s favour.
Afghanistan’s openers, who had scored the bulk of their runs, were dismissed within the first 19 balls with Marco Jansen picking three wickets and Kagiso Rabada two in the powerplay. The Afghan Atlans were eight down by 10 overs and bowled out in the next 11 deliveries.
We’re in the Finals
— Graeme Smith (@GraemeSmith49) June 27, 2024
Besides the pacers, Tabraiz Shamsi also took three wickets as Afghanistan’s weak link - their middle-order was brutally exposed.
Rashid Khan and Co made a valiant comeback at the start of the chase nonetheless, dismissing the dangerous Quinton de Kock in the second over, and captain Aiden Markram edged one off Naveen-ul-Haq with just six runs off the board but once Afghanistan decided against taking the review, the result was sealed.
Read | South Africa have an opportunity they never had: Markram
There were challenges but Reeza Hendricks and Markram successfully overcame them in a small chase and changed the course of history.
South Africa have had bigger names and stronger teams but a relatively less glamorous side has done what was deemed impossible all these years and showed that you don’t always need the best players to achieve big things in sports, you just need big mentality.
The mentality of not fearing anything. Markram feels the same mentality will help them in the final against India or England.
“One more step. It’s an exciting challenge for us and we’ve never been there before. But it’s nothing to be scared of," Markram said after leading South Africa to a historic victory. “It’s an opportunity that we’ve never had, and we’ll be really excited about that opportunity.”
The new South Africa is not afraid but their next opponent just might be.
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