Australia vs South Africa, World Cup 2023 Semifinal: Who Will Face India In Finals If Rain Forces Washout At Eden Gardens?

Australia vs South Africa, World Cup 2023 Semifinal: After Australia's brilliant start in the second semi final against South Africa, reducing Proteas to 44/4 in 14 overs, the rain has played spoilsport in the contest. As the 2023 ICC World Cup approaches its climax, South Africa and Australia face a precarious situation, not only contending against each other but also grappling with the unpredictable weather in Kolkata.

The weather forecast for Kolkata raises concerns, indicating a 70% chance of rain during the South Africa vs Australia semi-final match day, with a humidity level of around 76%. Even on the reserve day (Friday), there is a 60% forecast for drizzle.

In accordance with ICC rules, if the match is washed out, the team with a higher standing in the group stage would advance to the final. Presently, South Africa holds the advantage, having secured the second spot, while Australia finished in third after the end of round-robin games.

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A minimum of 20 overs is required for the match to be valid, and in case of interruptions, it resumes from where it left off on the first day, extending into the reserve day without restarting.

The intrigue deepens with the Duckworth-Lewis method on standby to determine the winner if the match is affected but not entirely washed out. This statistical method recalibrates the target score for the team batting second in a rain-affected encounter.

Australia, with a Net Run Rate (NRR) of +0.841 after the group stages, lags behind South Africa's healthier NRR of +1.261. If the match faces abandonment on both scheduled days, South Africa, due to their higher group stage position, would secure a historic opportunity to play in their first World Cup final.

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In the match, Australian bowlers Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood impressed, each taking two wickets to dismantle South Africa's top and upper-middle order. In-form Quinton de Kock fell while attempting an aggressive shot against Hazlewood.

South Africa won the toss and opted to bat first in the overcast conditions of Kolkata. Australia made two changes with Glenn Maxwell and Mitchell Starc returning to the side. South Africa's captain, Temba Bavuma, returned, and other changes included the inclusion of Tabraiz Shamsi for Lungi Ngidi, and Jansen came in for Phehlukwayo.

In the first semi-final, India secured a spot in the summit clash by defeating New Zealand by 70 runs.