Australia continued their winning habit in knockout games as they reached their eighth ODI World Cup final with a three-wicket win over South Africa. At Eden Gardens, Kolkata, David Miller’s 101 amidst batting collapse and Proteas spinners’ spirited efforts went in vain as Australia won the low-scoring encounter by three wickets with 16 balls to spare to book a World Cup final date with Rohit Sharma-led India.
After winning the toss and opting to bat first, Bavuma immediately regretted the decision. He edged one to Josh Inglis off Mitchell Starc's bowling to get out for a four-ball duck. Starc and Josh Hazlewood bowled with pin-point accuracy and did not let Rassie van der Dussen and Quinton de Kock hit boundaries in the first powerplay overs. In the sixth over, De Kock's patience ran out. He went for an aerial shot but got caught by Cummins after scoring just three runs from 14 balls. Cummins continued with Hazlewood and Starc. The move paid dividends. Aiden Markram got out after scoring just 10 runs from 20 balls. In the next over, Van der Dussen edged one to slip fielder Steve Smith and departed after scoring just six runs from 31 balls. South Africa were reduced to 24/4 in the 12th over.
David Miller and Heinrich Klaasen hit a few boundaries before rain interrupted play. After the break, Miller and Klaasen targetted Adam Zampa. They took the score past 100. As the partnership was building, Cummins introduced Travis Head into the bowling attack. Klaasen hit Head for two fours and then got bowled. He scored 47 runs from 48 balls including four fours and two sixes. In the same over, Marco Jansen got out lbw as South Africa found themselves 119/6 in the 31st over. Miller reached his century with a boundary in the next over. Gerald Coetzee tried to play the supportive role. Miller pounced on opportunities to hit boundaries from the other end. Cummins broke the partnership in the 44th over with the wicket of Coetzee who scored 19 runs from 39 balls.
Miller did some damage in the slog overs to push the scoring rate. Starc in his final spell dismissed Keshav Maharaj in the 47th over. In the next over, Miller reached his century with a maximum off Cummins. Miller went for another big shot but got caught by Head in the deep. He scored 101 runs from 116 balls featuring eight fours and five sixes. In the penultimate over, Rabada hit Starc for a six. In the final over, Rabada was dismissed by Cummins as South Africa got bowled out for 212 with two balls left in the innings. Miller became the first batter to score a century at no.6 or below in a World Cup semifinal match.
The run chase got off to a flying start. David Warner and Head did not refrain from slashing their bat on the delivery away from them. Jansen missed his lines and got punished for it in the fifth over as 15 runs were scored. Rabada was taken to the cleaners as well. Warner hit him for two sixes whereas Rabada smashed a maximum as well. In the seventh over, Markram was introduced and he got the breakthrough. Warner got bowled as he was deceived in the air. He hit four sixes and a four in 18-ball 29. In the next over, Van der Dussen took a blinder diving to his right to send Mitchell Marsh packing. Rabada got his redemption after a 21-run over.
Head continued to take risks to release the pressure. In the 12th over, substitute fielder Reeza Hendricks dropped the opener's catch off Coetzee's bowling. In the same over, Head smashed three consecutive boundaries to reach his half-century from 40 balls. In Tabraiz Shamsi's first over, Head got dropped by first slip fielder Klaasen. Maharaj was introduced into the attack and he dismissed Head off the first ball. Before getting bowled he hit nine fours and two sixes in his 48-ball 62. In the 18th over, De Kock dropped a half-chance as Smith survived. Shamsi finally succeeded in taking a wicket as Marnus Labuschagne went for a reverse sweep and got out lbw. He scored 18 runs from 31 balls. In his next over, Shamsi struck again. Glenn Maxwell went for a big shot but got bowled. Australia lost half their side for 137 in the 24th over.
Smith and Inglis negotiated well against the spinners in the middle overs. Coetzee in his fourth over broke the partnership. Smith played an unnecessary big shot and the ball went up in the night sky. De Kock took his catch. He scored 30 runs from 62 balls. Inglis and Starc did not take risks against the spinners as the required run rate was well under control. Coetzee came round the wicket and got Inglis' wicket with a yorker. The wicketkeeper-batter scored 28 runs from 49 balls. Cummins and Starc did not panic as there was no scoreboard pressure. In the 48th over, Cummins finished off the run chase with a boundary.
Australia will take on India in the World Cup 2023 final on November 19 at Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad.
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