Beware! Supporting South Africa is not for the faint-hearted!

The Proteas, who have the unenvious tag of ‘chokers’ in world cricket, have made a happy habit of snatching victory from the jaws of defeat in the 20-over extravaganza in the Americas — an experience as gripping as watching a House of the Dragon episode with a cliffhanger finish.

Things could have gone horribly wrong for Aiden Markram’s men on multiple occasions. However, they weathered the storm and sailed into the semifinals unbeaten. Whether they go two steps further to win the whole thing remains to be seen. But the fact that South Africa has players it can depend upon to show up in crucial moments will instil confidence in the ranks.

Remember it all too well

South Africa’s tryst with nail-biting finishes in the 2024 T20 World Cup started against the Netherlands. After an easy win against Sri Lanka, at least compared to the other humdingers that were to follow, the Proteas faced their bogey team in multi-national tournaments. They used up six wickets and 113 deliveries while chasing down the Netherlands’ 103 — granted it was not a modest target on the dicey New York track. They were, at one stage, reeling at 12 for four but a calm and collected David Miller, ably supported by Tristan Stubbs’ efforts, guided them home.

“The game of cricket makes it a bit tricky. We are moving forward as a squad. Sometimes the victories are going to be convincing. To squeeze a win out from that (12 for four) situation is good for the team environment,” skipper Markram said after the game.

While it was a narrow four-wicket win against the Men in Orange, their next assignment saw the Proteas pull off a four-run victory over Bangladesh. After deciding to bat, their top-order once again failed to make a mark and put together 113 to defend. However, the bowlers were accurate (none went for more than 27) as the team clinched a win with some luck going its way.

As fate would have it

In the 17th over of Bangladesh’s chase, Mahmudullah was adjudged lbw by the umpire. The batter went for a review which proved that the ball was missing the stumps. Mahmudullah extended his stay at the crease but lost out on the four leg-byes he would have otherwise got for the ball going for a boundary after hitting his pads as the umpire’s original verdict had already deemed the delivery dead. According to the Playing Conditions, despite the umpire’s verdict being overturned, Bangladesh did not get those crucial four runs which ended up being the victory margin for South Africa.

Nonetheless, if there is one team that deserves the rub of the green going its way thanks to a cricket law, it is South Africa. Remember the 1992 World Cup semifinal against England? The heavens opened up when Kepler Wessels’ side needed 22 off 13 and the target was readjusted (according to the laws then) to 21 from one ball and South Africa had to bow out of its first World Cup unceremoniously.

Back to 2024, the Proteas’ next challenge was against a spirited Nepal side which did its best to hunt down the target of 116 and fell agonisingly short. From requiring just 18 runs from as many balls with seven wickets in hand, it was a safe bet to say that Nepal would get across the line. However, Tabraiz Shamsi, Anrich Nortje and Ottneil Baartman delivered what was asked of them and restricted Nepal to 114 for seven — a one-run victory for South Africa.

This was the closest win for the Proteas in this mega event which saw a final-ball drama break Nepal fans’ hearts. With two runs needed off the last delivery, Gulsan Jha ran for a bye and would have thought that he was safe after wicketkeeper Quinton de Kock’s throw hit his back and deflected. However, as luck would have it, the ball went directly to a vigilant Heinrich Klaasen who flicked the ball onto the stumps. Jha, who slowed down after the ball made contact with him, was late in getting to the crease and failed to take the game to a Super Over.

Coming in clutch

Following a streak of pulsating results, the Proteas would have hoped for an easy win against co-host USA in their first Super 8 fixture. However, Andries Gous — a South Africa-born cricketer — took the co-host close to chasing a target of 195 with his unbeaten 47-ball 80. Before Kagiso Rabada’s exceptional two-run penultimate over reeled things back, South Africa fans would have got flashbacks of the 2015 ODI World Cup semifinal knock by Grant Elliott — also a South Africa native — to take New Zealand into the summit clash. It wasn’t to be in Antigua and the Proteas prevailed by 18 runs.

A crackerjack

After five consecutive victories in the tournament, the wagon moved to St. Lucia for South Africa to face the defending champion England. And, surprise, surprise… this was also a crackerjack of a contest. The pendulum swung in the windy Gros Islet as both teams had the chance to win it easily.

Jos Buttler’s men were chasing South Africa’s 163 and were in trouble at 61 for four after 10.2 overs. Then, Liam Livingstone and Harry Brook cut it down to 46 off 24 to make it anybody’s game. The duo punished the next over, laden with full tosses from Baartman, and cut down the target to 25 off 18. The game was in England’s grasp, but Rabada, Marco Jansen and Nortje had other ideas and turned the contest on its head. Markram’s stupendous catch running backwards to dismiss a dangerous Brook off Nortje’s final over was crucial in the side’s seven-run victory.

Do-or-die clash

South Africa’s most important, and latest, victory came in a do-or-die Super 8 clash against the West Indies. The two-time champion tightened the screws on South Africa’s run chase, which at one stage was in cruise control with 46 runs needed off 55 balls with seven wickets in hand. However, Rovman Powell’s men — playing for a last-four spot themselves — made a match of it thanks to a disciplined bowling effort and brought the equation to nine off seven. Then, a marvellous drive through extra-cover from Rabada and a maximum down the ground by the 6’8’’ towering Jansen, who stood tall in the nervy chase with an unbeaten 14-ball 21, turned the tide and sealed South Africa’s semifinal berth.

“I’m sweating. Quite nervy at the end. That’s been the theme of our tournament — us finding a way to win as a team, no matter what the situation is. Our supporters would probably like bigger wins. But things like this keep us in check,” Shamsi said after the three-wicket victory.

Yes, the scenario could have been different for South Africa. Mahmudullah could have been given not out by the umpire, and Jha could have not hesitated and reached the crease to force a tie-breaker. But, take nothing away from the performances its players have put up and the belief that they have shown to win games of cricket so far. A semifinal clash against Rashid Khan’s Afghanistan awaits Markram’s men. Given their remarkable journey so far, the Proteas will fancy themselves to go all the way and break their World Cup drought.

England’s Gus Atkinson bowled during ICC Cricket World Cup Match 20 between South Africa and England at Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on Saturday.
| Photo Credit: Emmanual Yogini

It was a hot and humid Saturday afternoon. A near-capacity turnout at the Wankhede Stadium made it even more piping. While South Africa turned up in red-hot form, England wilted under the sun in the much-anticipated high-voltage clash which turned into a lopsided affair.

Heinrich Klaasen and Marco Jansen’s blitzkrieg in the last 10 overs meant South Africa put on 399 for seven, the highest-ever ODI total against England and the second-highest at the venue.

Had it not been for Mark Wood wielding the long handle after the Proteas’ pace attack had taken the fizz out of the chase, England would have folded up for a total less than the 143 runs South Africa hammered in the last 10 overs.

Cricket World Cup | SAF vs ENG — As it happened

It was a hot and humid Saturday afternoon. A near-capacity turnout at the Wankhede Stadium made it even more piping. While South Africa turned up in red-hot form, England wilted under the sun in the much-anticipated high-voltage clash which turned into a lopsided affair.

Heinrich Klaasen and Marco Jansen’s blitzkrieg in the last 10 overs meant South Africa put on 399 for seven, the highest-ever ODI total against England and the second-highest at the venue.

Had it not been for Mark Wood wielding the long handle after the Proteas’ pace attack had taken the fizz out of the chase, England would have folded up for a total less than the 143 runs South Africa hammered in the last 10 overs.

Even before Jansen starred with the new ball to run through England’s top-order and virtually seal the result, it was his batting exploits in a murderous partnership with Klaasen that did the trick for his team.

Captain Temba Bavuma was ruled out due a stomach bug minutes before the toss. Reeza Hendricks converted the loss into a blessing, adding 120 with Rassie van Dussen after Quinton de Kock perished to Topley in the opening over of the game.

The stand-in captain Aiden Markram continued to build on the good work, first with Hendricks before he missed out on a deserving hundred and later with Klaasen.

But when Topley returned from an injury break to dismiss Markram and David Miller in successive overs, England would have hoped to restrict South Africa to a total well below the eventual one.

While Jansen took time to get his eye in, Klaasen started opening his shoulders up.

He drove, cut and pulled with aplomb. And once Jansen started wielded his long handle, an already rattled England bowling unit — beset with injuries, ailments and the heat — was found clueless.

Scoreboard

South Africa innings: Quinton de Kock (wk) c Jos Buttler b R Topley 4 Reeza Hendricks b Adil Rashid 85 Rassie van der Dussen c Bairstow b Adil Rashid 60 Aiden Markram (c) c Bairstow b R Topley 42 Heinrich Klaasen b Gus Atkinson 109 David Miller c Stokes b R Topley 5 Marco Jansen not out 75 Gerald Coetzee c (sub) Livingstone b Gus Atkinson 3 Keshav Maharaj not out 1 Extras: (b 2, lb 3, w 9, nb 1) 15 Total: (For 7 wickets in 50 Ov) 399

Fall of Wickets: 4-1, 125-2, 164-3, 233-4, 243-5, 394-6, 398-7

Bowlers: Reece Topley 8.5-0-88-3, David Willey 9-1-61-0, Joe Root 6.1-0-48-0, Gus Atkinson 9-0-60-2, Mark Wood 7-0-76-0, Adil Rashid 10-0-61-2.

England innings: Jonny Bairstow c van der Dussen b Lungi Ngidi 10 Dawid Malan c de Kock b Marco Jansen 6 Joe Root c Miller b Marco Jansen 2 Ben Stokes c and b Rabada 5 Harry Brook lbw b Gerald Coetzee 17 Jos Buttler (c & wk) c de Kock b Gerald Coetzee 15 David Willey c Rabada b Lungi Ngidi 12 Adil Rashid c Reeza Hendricks b Gerald Coetzee 10 Gus Atkinson b Maharaj 35 Mark Wood not out 43 Reece Topley abs hurt 0 Extras: (b 0, lb 9, w 5, nb 1) 15 Total: (All out in 22 overs) 170

Fall of Wickets: 18-1, 23-2, 24-3, 38-4, 67-5, 68-6, 84-7, 100-8, 170-9

Bowlers: Lungi Ngidi 5-1-26-2, Marco Jansen 5-0-35-2, Kagiso Rabada 6-1-38-1, Gerald Coetzee 4-0-35-3, Keshav Maharaj 2-0-27-1.