South Africa vs Australia Highlights 2nd Semifinal: Australia Setup Title Clash Against India, Beat South Africa By 3 Wickets

Australia will face India in the final of the ODI World Cup 2023 at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Sunday, November 19.

Pat Cummins hits the winning runs as Australia reaches their 8th World Cup final with a three-wicket win over South Africa. Another heart-breaking moment for the Proteas as they fell short once again. It is the India vs Australia in the final of the ODI World Cup 2023.

Wicket! Knocks him over. There's another one. Maybe there's still a little hope for South Africa here. Coetzee strikes as he takes his second of the match. Inglis departs for 28 runs as Australia go seven down.

Wicket! The partnership has been broken as Coetzee takes his first of the match. Smith lost his patience and tried to loft it out of the ground but only managed to hit that over his head a long way. De Kock made no mistake as he took a brilliant catch. Smith departs for 30 runs.

Smith is showing his experience as he takes his team closer to the win. Inglis has been brilliant so far in this partnership as he plays a risk-free game and is getting easy runs in the middle. South Africa need a wicket or two here to bounce back in the contest.

Wicket! Maxwell is the next to go back as Shamsi knocks him over. Can South Africa turn this in their favor? What a match we're witnessing here in Kolkata. Shamsi gets his second of the match as Australia go five down.

Wicket! There wasn't any need for that shot there. Marnus has committed a mistake here as he departs for 18. Shamsi gets his first of the match and Australia are four down.

Wicket! Maharaj comes into the attack and he strikes straight away with a crucial wicket of Travis Head. South Africa are still in this as Australia go three down.

Fifty! It doesn't look like Australia lose two wickets in quick succession as Travis Head has continued to attack the bowlers. He reaches his half-century and keeps Australia ahead in this run chase. 15 runs came off that over from Coetzee.

Wicket! There's another one. Magnificent catch from Van der Dussen at the cover region. Rabada takes his first wicket as he removes Marsh for a duck. Australia lose their second wicket.

Wicket! There's the breakthrough as Markram arrives to get the better of the opening partnership. He knocks over Warner for 29 as Australia lose heir first wicket.

Australia began their run chase and Travis Head played an attacking show straight away that went for a boundary. Five runs came off the first over.

"Really big (importance of this knock.) Glad to get the hundred, but we want to win at the end of the day. Helped the team to score a decent score with those partnerships. Expected these conditions at the start of the match, but we were on the back foot after four down in the powerplay. Managed to put up a couple of partnerships (with Klaasen and Coetzee), think we fought hard. It's about watching every ball and staying in the moment, trusting your preparation. It's one-ball-at-a-time. We need to put them under pressure in the powerplay by taking wickets. It's about using the conditions, bowling in the right areas."

South Africa have been bowled out for 212 runs. Brilliant bowling performance from the Aussies as the continue to dominate things in the ICC knockout games. Meanwhile, the Proteas have something to bowl to here but they will need to put a remarkable bowling effort to pull this off. Australia have a golden chance to reach yet another World Cup final and face India in Ahmedabad.

Wicket! Has he cleared the fence once again? No, it's taken by Head in the deep as a brilliant innings comes to an end from Miller. South Africa are nine down now as Miller departs for 101.

Hundred! What a way to bring up a magnificent hundred as South Africa goes past 200 with that enormous six. Brilliant innings from Miller and he will be key for his team in the remaining overs as well.

Wicket! Another wicket goes down as Starc gets his third of the match. Maharaj departs for 4 and South Africa are eight down now.

Wicket! Looks like there's an edge as Australian players appeal and the umpire has given him out. Short delivery and Coetzee was never comfortable to play that as he departs for 19. South Africa lose their seventh wicket.

Miller has out up a brilliant lone fight here as he continues to collect crucial runs. Coetzee has done brilliantly so far in this little partnership as the duo will be eyeing to take it further to help the team reach a challenging total. Five runs came off that Starc's over.  

Wicket! It's two in two for Travis Head. This is unbelievable stuff from the Aussies. Head joins the party out of nowhere as he removes Klaasen and Jansen in the same over. There was a promising partnership growing for the Proteas but they are now in deep deep trouble with six wickets already gone down.

Klaasen and Miller have looked good for this crucial partnership. They are getting a few runs at the moment. However, Maxwell continues to impress with the ball as he finishes another brilliant over. Just one run came off it.

The play has resumed at the Eden Gardens after a short break due to rain interruption. Zampa was brought straight in the action and he started well with a two-run over.

The drizzle has intensified, leading to the deployment of covers. The players head back to the pavilion, and South Africa finds itself in a challenging position. The atmosphere has turned gloomy, and there's a prospect of more rain. South Africa will be the happier side here with a much needed break.

SA: 44-4 (14)

Rassie van der Dusssen goes! The batter tried to nudge one on the off side but only managed a thick edge, staright to the second slip.

SA: 28-4 (11.5)

Just as Aiden Markram seemed to find his rhythm, Mitchell Starc disrupted his composure with a well-executed outswinger. Markram's attempted cover drive resulted in a leading edge, sending the ball straight into the hands of David Warner stationed in the point region. Markram departs after scoring just 10 runs.

SA: 22-3 (10.5)

It took 52 balls for South Africa to score their first boundary in the match, thanks to Markram's backfoot flick.

SA: 17-2 (9)

The first attacking shot of the match comes after Australia's disciplined bowling, and unfortunately for Quinton de Kock, it results in a mistimed lofted shot. Hazlewood seizes the opportunity and claims his first wicket, with skipper Cummins showcasing brilliance by taking a difficult catch.

SA: 8-2 (5.4)

Mitchell Starc firing in over the wicket to Bavuma and he nudges one straight to Inglis. South African skipper goes for a duck. SA will have to be cautious in the first few overs here at Eden Gardens.

SA: 1-1 (1)

"Not something I really dreamt of. We have come against a team like Australia in the semi-final. Means a lot to me, there's a game to focus on. Very important to stay in the present. Need to stick to our processes," Temba Bavuma

"We would have batted first as well. But it is overcast and hopefully there's some swing early on. They play pretty similar style, unfortunately they have won a last few, we are due. We have been in these positions before. We have a lot of experience. We were not up to our best in those couple of games. But guys have been positive in the last seven games," Pat Cummins

South Africa win toss, choose to bat first. Temba Bavauma returns to the side. While Shamsi makes a comeback for Lungi Ndidi.

Ausralia: "No, not really. None of our players were playing (in 1999). So you probably can't draw too many conclusions from that team. But it's part of Australian cricket folklore and history." - Pat Cummins

South Africa: "I feel alright. It's obviously not 100%, so this day becomes important. I'm quite confident, but it's not a unilateral decision." - Temba Bavuma

Probable XI:

Australia: Travis Head, David Warner, Mitchell Marsh, Steven Smith, Marnus Labuschagne, Glenn Maxwell, Josh Inglis, Marcus Stoinis, Pat Cummins (capt), Adam Zampa, Josh Hazlewood

South Africa: Temba Bavuma (capt), Quinton de Kock, Rassie van der Dussen, Aiden Markram, Heinrich Klaasen, David Miller, Marco Jansen, Keshav Maharaj, Kagiso Rabada, Lungi Ngidi, Tabraiz Shamsi.

In a nail-biting contest in the group stages, New Zealand almost chased down 389 against Australia, falling just short. Rachin Ravindra's heroic effort nearly secured an improbable win, supported by Mitchell's half-century. Australia, relieved with their 388 in the first innings, benefited from Hazlewood and Zampa's penetrative bowling. 

Australia will be aiming to replicate their performance from the Round-Robin stage.

The eagerly awaited World Cup semifinal showdown between Australia and South Africa at Kolkata's Eden Gardens is under the shadow of potential rain, as weather forecasts suggest a 50% chance of showers on the slated day, Thursday. Adding to the uncertainty, the reserve day, Friday, also poses a risk of precipitation, with a forecast indicating a 60% chance of drizzle.

AUS vs SA H2H in ODI World Cup

Total Matches - 7

Australia - 3

South Africa - 3

Tie - 1

Hello and welcome to the live coverage of the second semi-final showdown between Australia and South Africa at the iconic Eden Gardens, Kolkata. The stakes are high, with the coveted spot in the Sunday showdown against India on November 19 hanging in the balance.