Australia defeated South Africa by three wickets in the second semi-final of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 at Eden Gardens, Kolkata on Thursday to set up a title clash with hosts India. The five-time champions, now into their eighth final, will face hosts India, who defeated New Zealand in the first semis, at the imposing Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad on Sunday. (As It Happened | Scorecard | Report)
Opting to bat after winning the toss, South Africa were off to the worst possible start -- losing both their openers Quinton de Kock and Temba Bavuma -- with just eight runs on the board in the sixth over. Rassie van der Dussen and Aiden Markram also failed to fire, and the Proteas were tottering at 24/4 in the 12th over with Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood producing brilliant new-ball spells. A 95-run stand between David Miller (101 off 116) and Heinrich Klaasen (47 off 48) briefly steadied the ship but the Aussies hit back. The Aussies' response got off a flier, but quick wickets ensured an edge-of-seat thriller. The winning runs, a four, came off the bat of Aussie captain Pat Cummins in the 48th over.
With that, here's a look at all the key stats from the Australia vs South Africa, 2023 ODI Cricket World Cup semi-final match played at Eden Gardens, Kolkata:
- Mitchell Starc had an aggregate of 59 wickets in the World Cup before the start of the Australia vs South Africa semi-final match. With three wickets in this game, he became the third bowler in the tournament's history to take 60-plus wickets. Others are – Glenn McGrath (71) and Muttiah Muralitharan (68).
ALSO READ: Australia's Road To Final
- Mitchell Starc became the second Australian bowler to capture 60-plus wickets after McGrath who retired with a total of 71 wickets in the World Cup. Starc also became the first left-armer and the first left-arm pacer to capture 60-plus wickets in the World Cup.
- David Warner had an aggregate of 1491 runs in the World Cup and needed nine more runs for his 1500 runs. His 29 runs in this game fetched him an aggregate of 1520 runs. He becomes the sixth batter in the World Cup to aggregate 1500-plus runs. He is the second Australian to aggregate 1500-plus runs after Ricky Ponting (1751) in the World Cup.
- South Africa captain Temba Bavuma was dismissed for zero in the AUS vs RSA semi-final match to provide the 149th occasion of an opening batter getting out for a duck in the World Cup. It provided the eighth occasion of a South African opener getting out for zero in the World Cup.
- Temba Bavuma's dismissal also provided the 14th occasion of a captain-opening batter getting out for zero in an innings in the World Cup. This was the first occasion of a South African captain-opener getting out for zero in the World Cup.
- Bavuma of South Africa was dismissed for zero in this game to provide the 51st occasion of a captain getting out for zero in the World Cup. It also provided the third occasion of a South African captain getting out for zero in the World Cup.
ALSO READ: India's Road To Final
- Temba Bavuma's dismissal provided the fifth occasion of a captain getting out for zero in the World Cup semi-final. It also provided the second occasion of a South African captain getting out for zero in the World Cup semi-final.
- David Miller scored 101 in the Australia vs South Africa, ODI World Cup 2023 semi-final to provide the 235th occasion of a batter scoring a century in the World Cup. It also provided the 24th occasion of a South African batter scoring a century in the World Cup.
- Miller's innings provided the 77th occasion of a left-handed batter scoring a century in an innings in the World Cup. It also provided the eighth occasion of a South African left-handed batter scoring a century in the World Cup.
- David Miller scored 101 in this game to provide the 39th occasion of a batter scoring a century in an innings in the World Cup 2023. World Cup 2023 has already witnessed most centuries. The previous record was 38 centuries scored in the 2015 edition.
- Temba Bavuma of South Africa scored zero and Travis Head of Australia scored 62 in this game to provide the 38th occasion of rival openers scoring zero and fifty in a World Cup match.
- David Miller’s 101 provided the 50th occasion of a century going in vain in the ODI World Cup. It also provided the third occasion of a South African batter's century going in vain in the World Cup.
- Miller’s knock provided the second occasion of a century going in vain in the World Cup semi-final. The first occasion was New Zealand batter Daryl Mitchell’s 134 against India at Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai on 15.11.2023 in the first semi-final of the 2023 Cricket World Cup.
Stats courtesy: HR Gopala Krishna – Veteran cricket statistician
