Be it the year 1999 or 2015 - South African cricketers falling on the ground in the semi-finals, the opponents giving consolation, it was one of the most familiar scenes of the World Cup.
'Generational Trauma'
South African captain Temba Bavuma is not a much talked about cricket personality, who is called 'underrated'.
With the powerhouse of cricket teams like England, Australia and India, South Africa was not considered by many to be a title contender. On top of that, Anrich Norkia's injury before this World Cup dealt a blow to South Africa.
This South African team again failed to reach the semi-finals of the T20 World Cup last year, losing against the Netherlands. South Africa's only win against the Netherlands ensured a semi-final.
According to the Guardian's cricket analyst Sam Parry, it is a 'generational trauma'.
However, captain Temba Bavuma thinks this generation is different.
"This is our first semi-final as a team," he said ahead of the semi-final in Kolkata against Australia. i am confident Of course there will be nervousness, it's part of the game. But I think there is no cricketing difference between this match and any other World Cup match”.
South Africa's tearful semi-finals:
South Africa was ranked seventh out of 10 teams in the 2019 World Cup.
New Zealand's Grant Elliott hit Dale Steyn for a six in a rain-hit World Cup 2015 to take his team to the final. The scenes at the end of that match are one of the saddest scenes in ODI cricket history. Dale Steyn sat on the ground crying, De Villiers didn't know what to do, Faf du Plessis also had tears in his eyes on television. It's clear on the screen itself.
Seva's South Africa team had cricketers like Hashim Amla, Faf du Plessis, AB de Villiers. De Villiers, who missed a run out and a catch, was South Africa's captain and best performer in that World Cup.
The ESPN Cricinfo report then wrote that the ghost of 1992 has not left South Africa.
What happened in 1992?
The first World Cup in colored clothing was in 1992, the first white ball was used in the ODI World Cup, in which South Africa returned to cricket after a 22-year exile. In the semi-final against South Africa, England scored 252 runs batting first. The South African bowlers wasted a lot of time while bowling, for which they were also fined, but the South African cricketers received a bigger penalty than this penalty in that match.
The match was reduced to 45 overs due to rain in Sydney, after which South Africa needed 22 runs from 13 balls at one stage, when the rain came. When it rained for 12 minutes, after the rain stopped, the new target was announced as 22 runs from 7 balls, then again it was said that South Africa should take 22 runs from 1 ball.
At the time, there was much criticism of this rain law, with many calling it a mockery.
Australia and South Africa in the 1999 World Cup semis
Donald's legs were frozen
In 1999, South African all-rounder Lance Klusener made a brilliant performance to take the team to the semi-finals, chasing 214 in the semi-final against Australia, Klusner scored 31 off 16 balls.
At Edgbaston, UK, Alan Donald at the other end could not finish the run after taking one run from three balls in the match.
The memory of that match still haunts Donald, the current bowling coach of Bangladesh, Donald said about this match, “When I came back to the dressing room, I felt like someone had died. I went straight to the physio room and closed the door, Steve Waugh and McGrath then entered the room and Steve Waugh told me not to worry about it”.
"I've seen it over and over, I've seen it so many times, it doesn't get any worse."
The next World Cup was in South Africa's home soil. South Africa could not make it to the Super Six of the World Cup. This time, the team lost due to rain.
Sri Lanka's target of 268 runs stood at 230 runs in 45 overs after rain.
At 229 runs, Durban rained again and the match officials said the match would be a tie at the end of the game. Mark Boucher didn't attempt a run off Muttiah Muralitharan's last ball and South Africa still needed a run to win.
South Africa's 2023 World Cup squad includes Quinton de Kock and David Miller, who were on the field for the heartbreaking moment in 2015.
At least five of Australia's squad are expected to field today, who were part of the 2015 World Cup trophy-winning XI - David Warner, Steven Smith, Glenn Maxwell, Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood. Pat Cummins was also there but he didn't get to play as many matches in 2015. That Cummins is now Australia's team leader.
This South African team again failed to reach the semi-finals of the T20 World Cup last year, losing against the Netherlands. South Africa's only win against the Netherlands ensured a semi-final.
According to the Guardian's cricket analyst Sam Parry, it is a 'generational trauma'.
However, captain Temba Bavuma thinks this generation is different.
"This is our first semi-final as a team," he said ahead of the semi-final in Kolkata against Australia. i am confident Of course there will be nervousness, it's part of the game. But I think there is no cricketing difference between this match and any other World Cup match”.
South Africa's tearful semi-finals:
South Africa was ranked seventh out of 10 teams in the 2019 World Cup.
New Zealand's Grant Elliott hit Dale Steyn for a six in a rain-hit World Cup 2015 to take his team to the final. The scenes at the end of that match are one of the saddest scenes in ODI cricket history. Dale Steyn sat on the ground crying, De Villiers didn't know what to do, Faf du Plessis also had tears in his eyes on television. It's clear on the screen itself.
Seva's South Africa team had cricketers like Hashim Amla, Faf du Plessis, AB de Villiers. De Villiers, who missed a run out and a catch, was South Africa's captain and best performer in that World Cup.
The ESPN Cricinfo report then wrote that the ghost of 1992 has not left South Africa.
What happened in 1992?
The first World Cup in colored clothing was in 1992, the first white ball was used in the ODI World Cup, in which South Africa returned to cricket after a 22-year exile. In the semi-final against South Africa, England scored 252 runs batting first. The South African bowlers wasted a lot of time while bowling, for which they were also fined, but the South African cricketers received a bigger penalty than this penalty in that match.
The match was reduced to 45 overs due to rain in Sydney, after which South Africa needed 22 runs from 13 balls at one stage, when the rain came. When it rained for 12 minutes, after the rain stopped, the new target was announced as 22 runs from 7 balls, then again it was said that South Africa should take 22 runs from 1 ball.
At the time, there was much criticism of this rain law, with many calling it a mockery.
Australia and South Africa in the 1999 World Cup semis
Donald's legs were frozen
In 1999, South African all-rounder Lance Klusener made a brilliant performance to take the team to the semi-finals, chasing 214 in the semi-final against Australia, Klusner scored 31 off 16 balls.
At Edgbaston, UK, Alan Donald at the other end could not finish the run after taking one run from three balls in the match.
The memory of that match still haunts Donald, the current bowling coach of Bangladesh, Donald said about this match, “When I came back to the dressing room, I felt like someone had died. I went straight to the physio room and closed the door, Steve Waugh and McGrath then entered the room and Steve Waugh told me not to worry about it”.
"I've seen it over and over, I've seen it so many times, it doesn't get any worse."
The next World Cup was in South Africa's home soil. South Africa could not make it to the Super Six of the World Cup. This time, the team lost due to rain.
Sri Lanka's target of 268 runs stood at 230 runs in 45 overs after rain.
At 229 runs, Durban rained again and the match officials said the match would be a tie at the end of the game. Mark Boucher didn't attempt a run off Muttiah Muralitharan's last ball and South Africa still needed a run to win.
South Africa's 2023 World Cup squad includes Quinton de Kock and David Miller, who were on the field for the heartbreaking moment in 2015.
At least five of Australia's squad are expected to field today, who were part of the 2015 World Cup trophy-winning XI - David Warner, Steven Smith, Glenn Maxwell, Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood. Pat Cummins was also there but he didn't get to play as many matches in 2015. That Cummins is now Australia's team leader.
"Many of us who were on that team are a little lucky to be aware of situations like this," Cummins said. But you know history is sometimes stressful. We have to do our job properly."
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