South Africa clash against five-time world champions Australia in the all-important semi-final of the ICC men’s World Cup 2023 at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata. South Africa, who finished second in the group stage with seven wins, will be wary of the Kangaroos, who bagged the same points but were at third with a lesser NRR of (+)0.841. The winner of the match will face India at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Sunday. The Men in Blue booked their spot in the final after thrashing New Zealand by 70 runs in the first semifinal in Mumbai on Wednesday. Will South Africa get rid of their chokers tag or will Australia play their seventh World Cup final? Stay tuned with us for all the updates from this high-octane clash.
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16 Nov, 23 : 12:39 PM
Covers on at Eden Gardens as rain threat looms
Australia and South Africa will face off in the second semifinal of the ICC ODI World Cup 2023 at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata today. However, there is a rain threat and ground staff have placed rain covers on the playing field as a precautionary measure.
16 Nov, 23 : 12:39 PM
Will South Africa bury the ghosts of 1999 WC
Rewind - The 1999 SA vs AUS semifinal
The 2006 One-Day International (ODI) between Australia and South Africa at Johannesburg could be termed as arguably the greatest match in limited-overs cricket. Safely it could have been passed off as the greatest if not for another classic encounter the two sides had played out seven years earlier in England.
16 Nov, 23 : 01:05 PM
Will rain play spoilsport in the second semi-final clash
According to a Met department bulletin issued on Wednesday, South Bengal districts and Kolkata are likely to receive rains for the next three days starting Thursday. The depression over the west-central Bay of Bengal moved northwestwards with a speed of 13 kmph during the past three hours and lay centred at 1130 hours IST Wednesday, about 470 km southeast of Visakhapatnam (Andhra Pradesh), 620 km south-southeast of Paradip (Odisha) and 770 km south of Digha (West Bengal). Heavy rains are likely to occur over districts of Purba Medinipur and South 24 Parganas district on Thursday, while light to moderate rains will occur in Kolkata.
16 Nov, 23 : 01:24 PM
What happens if play is called off due to rain?
In a Word Cup semi final clash if the play is washed out on Thursday it can resume on Friday if play doesn’t restart on day one.There needs to be a minimum of 20 overs for each side across the two days for a result to stand. Anything less than that means the match will be declared “no result” and South Africa will progress to the final because they finished second, one slot ahead of Australia on the ladder.
16 Nov, 23 : 01:45 PM
South Africa opt bat in overcast conditions
16 Nov, 23 : 01:51 PM
South Africa vs Australia head-to-head stats
Total matches played: 109
Matches won by South Africa: 55
Matches won by Australia: 50
16 Nov, 23 : 02:10 PM
Ricky Ponting rings the bell at the Eden Gardens to mark the start of the semifinal in Kolkata ahead of the semi final clash.
16 Nov, 23 : 02:11 PM
Starc removes Bavuma for duck in first over. Bavuma's poor form continues.
16 Nov, 23 : 02:28 PM
Australia pacers choke South Africa early in the game. The fielding has been top class. The duo of Starc and Hazelwood are making life difficult for the proteas. South Africa scoring rate has been poor after 5 overs with the score just 8 after 5 overs.
16 Nov, 23 : 02:37 PM
South Africa's in form batsman Quinton de Kock fails in the big semi final clash.
16 Nov, 23 : 02:52 PM
Australia after 10 overs score a meagre 18/2. Starc and Hazlewood bowl brilliantly to keep the runs down. The first powerplay Australia has come out victorious.
16 Nov, 23 : 02:55 PM
Australia on top as South Africa lose half their middle order for just 22 runs on the board.
16 Nov, 23 : 03:03 PM
Things go from bad to worse for South Africa with Rassie van der Dussen the latest batter to depart.
16 Nov, 23 : 03:23 PM
Rain stops play at Eden gardens South Africa reeling at 44/4.
16 Nov, 23 : 03:30 PM
It isn't heavy rain, just the slightest drizzle, hopefully we have a full match on the cards
16 Nov, 23 : 03:40 PM
Klassen and Miller hold the key for South Africa in the second semi-final
16 Nov, 23 : 03:45 PM
Play will restart at 3:55 PM IST. the umpires are on the field to inspect the conditions and covers are coming off.
16 Nov, 23 : 03:45 PM
World Cup 2007 semifinal
SA won toss
After 10 overs: 27/5
Final score: 149
Result: Australia win
World Cup 2023 semifinal
SA won toss
After 10 overs: 18/2
Will South Africa reach their first ever World Cup final?
16 Nov, 23 : 03:56 PM
The players make their way back out there. Still very overcast but not raining which is always good news. Zampa to kick things off for Australia after the rain break.
16 Nov, 23 : 04:11 PM
Hazlewood returns after Klassen and Miller steady innings
Cummins takes himself off and Hazlewood brought on for his seventh over. Australia looking to take a wicket as quickly as possible, South Africa are pretty much done after this. Only Jansen left as a somewhat recognised batter and then the bowlers.
16 Nov, 23 : 04:18 PM
David Miller gives South Africa some momentum with some lusty blows.
16 Nov, 23 : 04:24 PM
Australia struggling with the fifth bowling option and Pat Cummins isn't looking as good as Hazlewood and Starc and there's not much for Zampa yet. The game is still evenly poised as Klassen and Miller are looking dangerous.
16 Nov, 23 : 04:55 PM
Travis Head gets the breakthrough for Australia gets the dangerous Klassen
16 Nov, 23 : 04:59 PM
South Africa in danger of getting bowled out as proteas lose their 6th wicket as Travis Head strikes twice in the over.
16 Nov, 23 : 05:06 PM
David Miller fights a lone battle for South Africa as the proteas batsman scores his 25th ODI 50.
16 Nov, 23 : 05:22 PM
South Africa middle order showing fight as proteas cross the 150 mark.
16 Nov, 23 : 05:29 PM
South Africa still showing fight as proteas reach 156 after 40 overs. Can they get 230 to pose any threat to the Aussies.
16 Nov, 23 : 05:41 PM
How much can South Africa in the last seven years?
16 Nov, 23 : 05:45 PM
Pat Cummins dismisses Gerald Cotezee as proteas lose their 7th wicket.
16 Nov, 23 : 05:59 PM
David Miller losing out on partners as South Africa lose their 8th wicket in Keshav Maharaj.
16 Nov, 23 : 06:08 PM
A World Cup hundred for David Miller at the greatest stage a World Cup semi final.
16 Nov, 23 : 06:21 PM
South Africa bold out for 212, Australia to chase down 213 for a place in the World Cup final.
16 Nov, 23 : 06:49 PM
Head and Warner are at the crease as Australia begin their chase.
16 Nov, 23 : 06:52 PM
Australia start their chase cautiously as aussies score 5 runs in the first over.
16 Nov, 23 : 06:53 PM
South Africa set the exact same target as the Total scored by both these sides in the SF WC 1999 and got All Out on the same no. of overs - 49.4
16 Nov, 23 : 07:02 PM
South Africa pacers struggling with their line and length and unable to control extras. South Africa doesn't have the liberty of conceeding so many extras. Australia start cautiously with 18/0 after 3 overs.
16 Nov, 23 : 07:12 PM
Australia openers give South Africa pacers real hammering as aussies reach 50 under 6 overs for the loss of no wickets.
16 Nov, 23 : 07:13 PM
Australia have come out blazing. They don't want to give South Africa an inch in this game. They have them down and want to keep them there.
16 Nov, 23 : 07:16 PM
Aiden Markram strikes with his first ball as David Warner gets bowled after a quickfire 29. Australia 60/1.
16 Nov, 23 : 07:19 PM
Aiden Markram bowls a wicket maiden after Warner's assault shock South Africans.
16 Nov, 23 : 07:22 PM
Rabada strikes for South Africa, as Mitchell Marsh gets out for a duck, Rassie does a Jonty for proteas.
16 Nov, 23 : 07:27 PM
Steve Smith holds the key for Australia he definitely knows how to tackle knockout pressure.
16 Nov, 23 : 07:39 PM
Travis Head seems to be in a hurry to finish this game early, the former RCB opener reaches yet another 50.
16 Nov, 23 : 07:49 PM
Keshav Maharaj strikes with his first ball as he gets the dangerous Travis Head for 62.
16 Nov, 23 : 07:52 PM
Aussies have got their two best batsman out in the middle in Smith and Labuschagne
16 Nov, 23 : 07:58 PM
Marnus Labuschagne survives a close call as Australia feel the pressure on a spinning track.
16 Nov, 23 : 07:59 PM
South Africa don't lose the review. Shamsi is disappointed. This was close and could have gone either way.
16 Nov, 23 : 08:05 PM
Steve Smith survives a drop chance can he make it count?
16 Nov, 23 : 08:11 PM
Australia break the shackles with a timely boundary.
16 Nov, 23 : 08:12 PM
At the half way stage Australia cruising for their seventh World Cup final appearance.
16 Nov, 23 : 08:20 PM
Shamsi strikes as Labuschange gets trapped LBW. Is there a twist in the tale?
16 Nov, 23 : 08:26 PM
Glenn Maxwell survives a close call as South Africa lose a review.
16 Nov, 23 : 08:30 PM
Shamsi strikes with a dream delivery as the dangerous Maxwell departs.
16 Nov, 23 : 08:45 PM
Smith and Inglis slowly and steadily building a nice little partnership.
16 Nov, 23 : 08:56 PM
A wicket here will open up the game nicely. Let's see if there is a twist.
16 Nov, 23 : 08:58 PM
The game is slowly drifting away from the proteas as the Aussies are playing risk free shots.
16 Nov, 23 : 09:08 PM
A big big breakthrough for proteas Cotezee sends Smith back to the pavilion.
16 Nov, 23 : 09:17 PM
Josh Inglis holds the key for Australia here. The dynamic wicketkeeper was highly rated by the great late Shane Warne.
16 Nov, 23 : 09:38 PM
Coetzee once again brings the vital breakthrough for Australia as he sends back Josh Inglis.
16 Nov, 23 : 09:40 PM
Starc survives a close call.
16 Nov, 23 : 09:50 PM
Australia still favourites to win this one. Can South Africa do the unthinkable.
16 Nov, 23 : 09:54 PM
The tension is building in here but Australia still have the upper hand.
16 Nov, 23 : 09:58 PM
Can Makram be the game changer for Australia?
16 Nov, 23 : 10:05 PM
A welcome boundary for Australia which more or less seals the fate of Australia.
16 Nov, 23 : 10:12 PM
It's all over Australia will play their 8th World Cup final. It will be against India at Ahmedabad.
