World Cup 2023: Always keen to contribute with the ball, says Head after starring in Australia’s tense semi-final win

Australia survived a spirited fightback from South Africa to walk away with a thrilling three-wicket victory in the second ICC World Cup semi-final in Kolkata on Thursday.

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Travis Head, who nearly didn’t make it to Australia’s World Cup squad due to a broken hand, was later adjudged the Player of the Match for his all-round display that included a couple of key wickets.

Speaking to the broadcasters after Australia’s victory, Head revealed he had always been ready to contribute with the ball for his team.

“We haven’t seen such spin, we knew we had to battle. I thought I wasn’t going to be here (after the hand injury), but I am happy to contribute for Australia, nice to be here.

“Straight as they came (Klaasen dismissal). He smacked me, was under the pump, but it was nice to get his wicket. I was prepared to bowl a few overs, always keen to contribute with the ball,” Head said after the game,” Head said after Australia’s tense victory at Kolkata’s Eden Gardens.

The southpaw not only laid the foundation for Australia’s successful chase with an explosive 62 off 48 deliveries, he also collected two wickets in as many deliveries with his part-time off-spin, which included the wicket of Klaasen that broke the 95-run fifth-wicket partnership with Miller.

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Earlier in the day, Australia had South Africa on the mat after reducing them to 24/4 as Proteas skipper Temba Bavuma’s decision to bat first appeared to have backfired. That was before a fighting 101 by David Miller along with a valuable 47 from Heinrich Klaasen allowed them to post a relatively competitive 212.

The five-time world champions then got off to a dream start in the chase by collecting 60 runs in six overs before another fightback from the opposition, this time with the ball. Australia found themselves in a spot of bother at 137/5, but patient knocks from Steve Smith (30) and Josh Inglis (28) brought them back into the contest.

After Gerald Coetzee sent both Smith and Inglis back to the pavilion with a couple of late strikes, it was left to the eighth-wicket pair of Mitchell Starc (16 not out) and skipper Pat Cummins (14 not out) to get their team over the line with an unbroken 22-run stand.

Cummins, who struck the winning boundary to help Australia win with 16 deliveries to spare, later hailed his team for a “great effort” as they defeated the Proteas for a second time in three World Cup semi-final meetings.

“Easier than sitting in the dugout. Nerve-wracking couple of hours but great effort and a great game,” Cummins said during the post-match presentation ceremony.

Australia now face India in a rematch of the 2003 final in Johannesburg, with the two teams set to collide at Ahmedabad’s Narendra Modi Stadium on Sunday. The Ricky Ponting-led Australia had hammered Sourav Ganguly’s India by 125 runs back then.

This time, however, it is the Rohit Sharma-led hosts who are enjoying a dominant run in the tournament with 10 wins in as many outings. That includes a six-wicket victory over Australia in Chennai where the Men in Blue recovered from 2/3 down after being set 200 to win.

Despite India’s dominance in this tournament, Cummins backed his team to lift the trophy for a record-extending sixth time on Sunday.

“The good thing is a few of us have been there for finals before. Got to embrace it, the stadium is going to be packed, pretty one-sided but got to embrace it. The 2015 World Cup was a career highlight, so to be out there in a final in India, can’t wait,” Cummins added.