A misfortune of World Cup: Team South Africa

 Cricket World cup is the most coveted event and its 11^th edition is about to start on 14^th Feb`15 where host New Zealand will face one of the Asian giants Sri Lanka. If we look on to the history book of  this mega event, Australia is the best performing team and has as many as 4 title wins in 10 world cups ever played. India and West Indies won twice and two Asian countries i.e. Pakistan and Sri Lanka won once. England (country where Cricket was born) never won a single title; they were runner ups in 3 tournaments. New Zealand also never won the title; still they appeared in 6 semi finals (that is a good number). But this tournament haunted one of the best teams ever played this game, team is South Africa. Proteas are considered as chokers (always find themselves on losing side while playing a knock out game). What is the story of South Africans in the World Cup let’s find out.

World Cup 1992: That is when South Africans came back into Cricket after their issues resolved within the country about freedom. Tournament played in Australia and New Zealand; it was Semi Final (England vs. South Africa). Throughout the tournament South Africa played really well to reach into knock out stage. They were into deep trouble as they lost 6 wickets and still 50 odd runs to chase; but they thrived and reduced the target to 22 required of 13 balls. Now this target was looking gettable for the Proteas but Rain god entered into the frame and outmaneuvers the scenario for South Africa and wrote the most unfortunate collocations: By law of two brothers called Duckworth and Lewis, revised target became 22 required of 1 ball. South Africans couldn`t believe that moment and they certainly wanted to obliterate that memory from their history book. That was the first instance of how unlucky this team can be. And later it became an almanac.

World Cup 1996: 11^th March 1996, 3^rd quarter final between South Africa and West Indies. South Africa was the favorites to win the world cup; they won 10 of their last ODI matches on the trot to come into this knock out match. Proteas were looking absolutely definite to go into final but Brian Charles Lara played the knock of the world cup, made 111 and South Africans got a superlative target to chase on (Target was 265)..As they were in good form off late they started well and were comfortable on 186/3; when a big batting subsided and they fell short of the target (lost by 19 runs). Also their ODI winning record came to stand still. Again in a knock out, again a shame. They must have recollected their memories of 1992 world cup.

World Cup 1999: 17^th June, 2^nd Semi final Australia vs. South Africa. Both teams were top contenders of that competition but just 4 days ago Australia beat South Africa in a group game (Gibbs dropped chance was the major outcome of Proteas loss). Now Australia at least had to tie with South Africans to proceed towards Lord`s for the grand finale. And guess what it really happened (Can you believe it). Just like 1992 and 1996 World Cup, Luck showed the African country a black exit from the tournament. Australia batted first and made a modest total of 213, that was not a challenging total, but again it was semi finals hence there were goose bumps onto the proteas skins. Lance Klusner (ultimately became Man of the series) was in form of his life. It was last over when Klusner was on strike and 9 required; when he played two outstanding shots towards the cover boundary and reduced the target to 1 run needing of 4 balls. It became palpable that Proteas would win but then there was a run out chance missed on the next delivery (Australians knew, if they were able to tie this, they would get through). 1 run of 3 balls and then God`s decided the destiny which was same in the earlier two world cups and Allan Donald got run out coming into pressure. And a chokers tag glued with the South African team.

World Cup 2003: South Africa was hosting the tournament for the first time. But that time they weren`t the favorites as they were in last three world cups. Still an unfortunate event stopped Proteas even getting into Super 6 stages. It was not a knock out match as per definition as Sri Lanka took on South Africa is their last group stage match. But it was virtually a knock out game for both the teams because of the points table. South Africa needed the victory to go past Super 6 while Sri Lanka needed at least a tie to go through. Sri Lanka batted first and Marvan Attapattu batted like champion and with the help of his 120 odd runs, Sri Lanka manage a healthy score of 268. Rain halted the run chase. Everyone recollected the rough memories of World Cup 1992 and Duckworth Lewis brothers. It was raining and Mark Boucher hit a stunning six over long on and next delivery he just tapped ball towards short mid wicket region for no run, he introspected that  he was above par of asking target from those brother`s law (rule). And match stopped afterwards because of heavy rain. And later what happened was just a tragedy. According to Duckworth Lewis method match got tied and Sri Lanka went through and poor South Africans knocked out from the competition. Fans couldn`t believe what happened. But it was just an affair with the luck factor which was never on South African side.

World Cup 2007: West Indies hosted the world cup for the first time; big nations like India and Pakistan knocked out of group stages. That time again South Africans were prime favorites; Semi final 2: Australia vs. South Africa (re-match of 1999 World Cup). Throughout the tournament South Africa played well and was defeating odds of being chokers in world cup. But 149 all out against Australia in must win match proved everybody that, even if South Africa worked hard to win in the knock outs, they won’t be able to get through because of the luck factor. Australia easily defeated sorry Africans and went onto win world cup three times in a row.

World Cup 2011: India-Sri Lanka-Bangladesh hosted that year`s competition. That year, South Africa was the best team compared to their previous world cups with the likes of Steyn,Morkel,Kallis,AB etc; they were looking absolute merciless. Literally, because of their team`s composition everyone forgot their tag of being chokers. In one of the group stage matches, South Africa beat India in tensed competition and proved that they were no longer the chokers. But it was not a knock out game; Quarter final: New Zealand vs. South Africa (with no doubt Proteas were firm favorites) and with bowling first South Africans managed to restrict Kiwis to passable total of 221. South Africa look favorites till 108/2 when Jacob Oram held Kallis on boundary line and then it was inevitable, a big collapse happened and they fell short by a considerably good margin. South Africa knocked out yet again.

World Cup 2015: Now great pundits of Cricket reckoned Australia,Kiwis,Inida and The Proteas as the World Cup favorites, but how South Africans deal with the pressure of being a chokers is very interesting to see. Only time will tell and also it will be very fascinating to see what Luck has in store in South Africa`s nemesis.