AHMADABAD: Australia it is, then, who would take on India in the final of the World Cup, having scraped past South Africa by three wickets in a tense chase at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata tonight. The Australians will play their eighth WC final.
After their pacemen had blown away the South Africans, who got past 200 only due to a remarkable 101 by David Miller, Australia were made to struggle by the South African spinners in a modest chase of 213. Keshav Maharaj, left-arm orthodox, was brilliant on a surface that offered help, picking up 1/24 off 10 overs; Tabraiz Shamsi was more expensive but did a fair job with 2/42, as the two put the brakes on Australia’s scoring.
The nervy chase was wholly unexpected after a blistering start by David Warner and Travis Head, who knocked 60 off the target in the first six overs, bringing down the asking rate to 3.63 an over. But the dismissal of Warner and Mitch Marsh, for one run within nine balls, pulled the Aussies back a bit; yet, with Marnus Labuschagne (18) and Steve Smith (30) looking steady, Australia were in control.
Labuschagne was trapped by Shamsi, however, and Glenn Maxwell fell for 1 and Australia became cagey. When Smith played a terrible shot to be caught, it was 174/6, and the South Africans seemed on the ascendance. But Australia’s fast bowlers saw the team through with 16 balls left.
The Sunday final would pit the irresistible force that India are against the never-say-die Aussies, raising visions of a thriller.