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South Africa is rated very highly in Tests and ODIs. But when it comes to World Cups and World Twenty20, they flop.
Far from not winning a World Cup or World T20, they have not even made it to the final – neither in World Cups since they began in 1975, nor in World T20 since its inception in 2007-08.
Friday was a night worth sitting in front of TV until 3am to watch an engrossing tussle. India chased down South Africa’s total of 172 to win by six wickets with five balls remaining. What a thriller!
Now India meets Sri Lanka in the all-Asian final at Dhaka in Bangladesh tonight Australia time.
If India wins, they will become the only country to win World T20 twice. India won the inaugural competition in South Africa in 2007-08, beating Pakistan.
Pakistan was the champion in England in 2009 defeating Sri Lanka. England had won in Pakistan in 2010 beating Australia. The West Indians were the victors in Sri Lanka defeating the host nation in 2012-13.
India is the only unbeaten team in the 2014 tournament so far, having won all five matches; the four matches before qualifying for the semi-final and the semi-final last night. In the qualifying rounds, Sri Lanka had lost to England and South Africa had lost to Sri Lanka.
India entered the semi-final after defeating Pakistan by seven wickets, West Indies by seven wickets, Bangladesh by eight wickets and Australia by 73 runs.
There have been many heroes for India but none as sensational as Virat Kohli. In the current World T20, he has scored most number of runs, 242 at a Bradman-like average of 121.00. Next best is South Africa’s JP Duminy, 187 at 62.33.
India’s spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has the best average in the 2014 World T20 so far, having taken 10 wickets at an impressive average of 9.50.
Now to the nail-biting semi-final at Dhaka. South Africa won the toss and scored 4 for 172. Faf Du Plessis played a captain’s innings of 58 in 41 balls, with five fours and two sixes. Then JP Duminy took over, smashing three sixes in his unbeaten 45 as South Africa totalled 4 for 172.
In between these tall hits, Ashwin bowled his carom ball deliveries with perfection and took 3 for 22 in four economical overs.
To score 173 against South Africa’s attack which included Dale Steyn was a daunting task but Indian openers Rohit Sharma and Ajankiya Rahane started aggressively, hitting 33 in three overs.
After their departure Kohli took over, belting an unbeaten and spectacular 72 off 44 balls, embellished with five fours and two sixes.
He was well supported by Suresh Raina and India reached the winning target with five balls remaining.
Sri Lanka has not won the World T20 even once although they have played the final twice. Will it be third time lucky for them?
But can anyone explain as to why South Africa, with all the talent at its disposal, has failed to enter the finals of World Cup and World T20?