Australia and South Africa are set to go head-to-head in the second semi-final of the ICC ODI World Cup 2023.
The big-ticket knockout clash between the powerhouses will be hosted at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata on November 16. While more than 60,000 cricket enthusiasts are expected to attend the high-voltage encounter, there is a possibility of rain.
The International Cricket Council (ICC), however, has kept a reserve day for the knockout games. If rain washes out the match between South Africa and Australia on Thursday, play will resume the next day.
According to weather.com, there is a 50 percent chance of rain across Kolkata on Friday as well. If that happens, South Africa will advance to the final as they were ahead of Australia in the points table.
South Africa endured only two defeats in 9 appearances during the league stage. The Netherlands and India were the only teams who got the better of the Proteas.
South Africa entered the knockout stage on the back of a 5-wicket win over Afghanistan. Rassie van der Dussen was the standout performer with the bat for South Africa as the middle-order batter scored an unbeaten 76 while chasing a 245-run target.
Follow all the action from the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 including the World Cup schedule, World Cup 2023 results, and ICC Cricket World Cup points table. Players are vying to top the World Cup 2023 Most Runs and World Cup 2023 Most Wickets charts.
Meanwhile, Australia began their campaign on a disappointing note, losing to India and South Africa in the first two games. But the five-time champions made a roaring comeback in the following matches. They won all of the remaining games to finish third in the points table.
Eden Gardens Pitch Report
The wicket at the Eden Gardens is known for assisting the batters but the spinners have played a dominant role during this competition. Both the teams have star-studded batting units.
The venue has so far hosted four World Cup matches and on only two occasions that a team has managed to cross 300-run mark. When South Africa played India in Kolkata, the visitors faced a rare batting collapse and folded their innings for 83 runs.
Kolkata Weather Report
The weather in Kolkata is expected to remain overcast on November 16. There is a chance of rain across the City of Joy.
So, the World Cup semi-final between South Africa and Australia can see some interruption(s) due to bad weather. The temperature could hover around 23 degrees Celsius to 28 degrees Celsius, while the humidity is anticipated to be around 71-90 percent. The wind speed will be around 10-15 km/h.
South Africa vs Australia World Cup 2023 Full Squads
SA: Temba Bavuma (c), Gerald Coetzee, Quinton de Kock, Reeza Hendricks, Marco Jansen, Heinrich Klaasen, Keshav Maharaj, Aiden Markram, David Miller, Lungi Ngidi, Andile Phehlukwayo, Kagiso Rabada, Tabraiz Shamsi, Rassie van der Dussen, Lizaad Williams
AUS: Pat Cummins (c), Steve Smith, Alex Carey, Josh Inglis, Sean Abbott, Cameron Green, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Marnus Labuschagne, Mitch Marsh, Glenn Maxwell, Marcus Stoinis, David Warner, Adam Zampa, Mitchell Starc
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