Australia and South Africa will lock horns in the second semi-final of World Cup 2023 on Thursday, November 16. The Eden Gardens in Kolkata will host the contest.
Australia started with two losses, but won six matches in a row to make their way through to the semi-final. Pat Cummins and Co. found themselves in all sorts of trouble against Afghanistan at the Wankhede Stadium before Glenn Maxwell rescued them with a knock of an unbeaten 201, laced with 21 fours and 10 sixes.
Top 10 fastest bowlers in cricket history
South Africa, led by Temba Bavuma, have been clinical thus far. Barring the matches against India and the Netherlands, the Proteas have done exceptionally, especially while batting first.
The odds will be against them going into the semi-final. The Proteas are yet to qualify for a World Cup final while the Aussies are five-time world champions. Last time South Africa played in the semis, New Zealand defeated them.
South Africa and Australia met in the World Cup semis back in 1999 and 2007. But both times, it was the Aussies, who got the better of their opponents.
Contents
Australia vs South Africa head to head team ODI records and stats
ODIs
| Matches Played | 109 |
| Australia Won | 50 |
| South Africa Won | 55 |
| Tie | 3 |
| No Result | 1 |
Australia vs South Africa head to head player stats (ODI)
ODI batting records
Ricky Ponting is the leading run-scorer in matches between the two teams. The former Australian skipper scored 1879 runs from 48 matches at an average of 39.97 and a strike-rate of 83.14 with two hundreds.
Among the South Africans, Jacques Kallis is on top with 1639 runs from 47 matches at an average of 36.42 and strike-rate of 73.82 with one century.
Most runs
| Batter | Runs |
| Ricky Ponting (AUS) | 1879 |
| Jacques Kallis (SA) | 1639 |
| Jonty Rhodes (SA) | 1610 |
| Steve Waugh (AUS) | 1581 |
| Hansie Cronje (SA) | 1364 |
Highest Individual score
| Batter | Score |
| Quinton de Kock (SA) | 178 |
| Herschelle Gibbs (SA) | 175 |
| Heinrich Klaasen (SA) | 174 |
| David Warner (AUS) | 173 |
| Ricky Ponting (AUS) | 164 |
Highest average (min 10 innings)
| Batter | Average |
| AB de Villiers (SA) | 59.52 |
| Heinrich Klaasen (SA) | 59.00 |
| David Miller (SA) | 54.82 |
| Faf du Plessis (SA) | 54.00 |
| Hansie Cronje (SA) | 47.03 |
Most sixes
| Batter | Sixes |
| Quinton de Kock (SA) | 26 |
| David Warner (AUS) | 25 |
| Ricky Ponting (AUS) | 24 |
| David Miller (SA) | 23 |
| Mitchell Marsh (AUS) | 22 |
Most centuries
| Batter | Centuries |
| Faf du Plessis (SA) | 5 |
| David Warner (AUS) | 5 |
| Quinton de Kock (SA) | 3 |
| Herschelle Gibbs (SA) | 3 |
| Michael Bevan (AUS) | 2 |
| Hansie Cronje (SA) | 2 |
ODI bowling records
Shane Warne is the top wicket-taker in ODIs between Australia and South Africa. The leg-spinner has taken 60 wickets from 45 matches with three four-wicket hauls to his name.
Among the Australians, Glenn McGrath holds the top spot with 58 wickets from 41 matches at an economy rate of 3.67.
Most wickets
| Bowler | Wickets |
| Shane Warne (AUS) | 60 |
| Glenn McGrath (AUS) | 58 |
| Shaun Pollock (SA) | 55 |
| Dale Steyn (SA) | 49 |
| Allan Donald (SA) | 45 |
Best bowling figures
| Bowler | Figures |
| Makhaya Ntini (SA) | 6-22 |
| Lungi Ngidi (SA) | 6-58 |
| Andy Bichel (AUS) | 5-19 |
| Nicky Boje (SA) | 5-21 |
| Morne Morkel (SA) | 5-21 |
Best bowling average (min 10 innings)
| Bowler | Average |
| Craig Matthews (SA) | 15.20 |
| Brett Lee (AUS) | 23.65 |
| Glenn McGrath (AUS) | 23.79 |
| Kagiso Rabada (SA) | 24.96 |
| Eric Simons (SA) | 25.42 |
ODI Wicket-keeping records
Most dismissals (overall)
| Wicketkeeper | Dismissals |
| Adam Gilchrist (AUS) | 69 |
| Mark Boucher (SA) | 54 |
| Quinton de Kock (SA) | 46 |
| David Richardson (SA) | 44 |
| Ian Healy (AUS) | 32 |
| Brad Haddin (AUS) | 20 |
Most dismissals (single match)
| Wicket-keeper | Dismissal |
| Adam Gilchrist (AUS) | 6 |
| Mark Boucher (SA) | 5 |
| Matthew Wade (AUS) | 5 |
| Ian Healy (AUS) | 4 |
| Adam Gilchrist (AUS) | 4 (5 times) |
ODI fielding records
Most catches (overall)
| Fielder | Catches |
| Jonty Rhodes (SA) | 25 |
| Shane Warne (AUS) | 18 |
| Herschelle Gibbs (SA) | 17 |
| David Miller (SA) | 17 |
| Mark Waugh (AUS) | 16 |
Most catches (single match)
| Fielder | Catches |
| Rilee Rossouw (SA) | 4 |
| Kepler Wessels (SA) | 3 |
| Daryl Cullinan (SA) | 3 |
| Michael Bevan (AUS) | 3 |
| Johan Botha (SA) | 3 |
Individual ODI records
Most matches
| Player | Matches |
| Jonty Rhodes (SA) | 55 |
| Ricky Ponting (AUS) | 48 |
| Jacques Kallis (SA) | 47 |
| Steve Waugh (AUS) | 47 |
| Shane Warne (AUS) | 45 |
Australia vs South Africa: What happened in their last meeting?
South Africa beat Australia by 134 runs when the two teams last met in the league stage of the World Cup 2023 on October 12 at the Ekana Stadium in Lucknow.
After being put in to bat first, the Proteas racked up a handsome score of 311 for the loss of seven wickets. Quinton de Kock was their star batter after he scored 109 runs off 106 balls with the help of eight fours and five sixes.
BEAST MODE 💪
— Proteas Men (@ProteasMenCSA) November 10, 2023
A ball of emotions @GeraldCoetzee62 😤 #CWC23 #BePartOfIt pic.twitter.com/53ExrW8c3L
Aiden Markram lent him support with a knock of 56 off 44. Mitchell Starc and Glenn Maxwell picked up two wickets apiece.
Thereafter, the Aussies bowled South Africa out for 177 in 40.5 overs. Marnus Labuschagne scored 46 runs, but he hardly got any support from the top and middle order batters.
Starc and Pat Cummins scored 27 and 22 runs, but they are only to mitigate the damage. Kagiso Rabada picked up three wickets for the Proteas.
AUS vs SA last match scorecard
South Africa
| De Kock | B Maxwell | 109 |
| Bavuma | C Warner b Maxwell | 35 |
| Van der Dussen | C sub (Abbott) b Zampa | 26 |
| Markram | C Hazlewood b Cummins | 56 |
| Klaasen | C Inglis b Hazlewood | 29 |
| Miller | B Starc | 17 |
| Jansen | C Warner b Starc | 26 |
| Rabada | Not out | 0 |
| Maharaj | Not out | 0 |
| Extras | lb 2, w 7, b 4 | 13 |
| Total | 50 overs | 311/7 |
Australia
| Marsh | C Bavuma b Jansen | 7 |
| Warner | C van der Dussen b Ngidi | 13 |
| Smith | Lbw Rabada | 19 |
| Labuschagne | C Bavuma b Maharaj | 46 |
| Inglis | B Rabada | 5 |
| Maxwell | C & B Maharaj | 3 |
| Stoinis | C de Kock b Rabada | 5 |
| Starc | C de Kock b Jansen | 27 |
| Cummins | C Miller b Shamsi | 22 |
| Zampa | Not out | 11 |
| Hazlewood | C Rabada b Shamsi | 2 |
| Extras | Lb 4, nb 2, w 11 | 17 |
| Total | 40.5 overs | 177 |
