World Cup 2023: Temba Bavuma rues poor powerplays after South Africa suffer yet another semi-final heartbreak

South Africa suffered yet another heartbreak in a World Cup semi-final despite mounting a valiant fightback against Australia in Kolkata on Thursday, bowing out with a three-wicket defeat.

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The Proteas failed to break their World Cup semi-final jinx for the fifth time in as many attempts since 1992 after getting bowled out for 212, with the Aussies chasing the target down with three wickets and 16 deliveries to spare to enter their eighth World Cup final in 13 editions.

South Africa had fared poorly both with bat and ball during the first powerplay of both innings; they collected just 18 runs while losing  both openers after electing to bat at the Eden Gardens, and would later bleed 60 runs in the first six overs that gave the Australian batters the platform for the successful chase.

And Proteas skipper Temba Bavuma felt their poor performance in both powerplays played a key role in their narrow defeat.

“Quite hard to put into word. Congrats to Australia, all the best for them in the final. They were outstanding for a large part of the game and thoroughly deserved victory. Our character came through. It was a dog fight. The way we started with the bat and the ball was probably the turning point, we lost it quite badly there,” Bavuma said during the post-match presentation.

Australian pacers Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood made the most of overcast conditions in Kolkata after Bavuma elected to bat, destroying the South African top-order to leave them gasping for air at 24/4. What also helped the Aussies build pressure on the Proteas was their outstanding fielding, especially by David Warner in the cover arc.

Read | India to face Australia in final on 19 November

Had it not been for David Miller’s fighting century — his sixth in ODIs — as well a valuable 47 from Heinrich Klaasen, South Africa might have succumbed to their second sub-100 total in three outings.

Bavuma, who was caught-behind for a duck off Starc’s bowling in the very first over of the innings, credited the Australian new-ball pair for their “ruthless” spells that triggered a top-order collapse.

“Conditions and the quality of the attack. They were ruthless. Presented with the conditions but they really put us under pressure,” added Bavuma, who had earlier indicated he wasn’t a hundred per cent for the final.

A bitter sweet ending to a phenomenal tournament by the boys.

We are incredibly proud of the brilliant display of cricket since day 1 of the #CWC23.