South Africa's challenge to overcome the semifinal jinx 

Betting Odds

Our Predictions 

• Quinton de Kock has odds of 4.16 to be South Africa's best batsman. 
• David Warner has odds of 4.23 to be the best batsman for Australia.  
• Kagiso Rabada has odds of 4.40 to be the best bowler for South Africa.  
• Mitchell Starc and Adam Zampa share odds of 3.47 to be Australia's best bowler.  

MATCH PREVIEW     

It is the 2nd Semifinal in the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023. The South Africans will look to deliver their best as they take on five-time champions Australia. The South Africans finished second on the points table and have fared better than what most cricket betting sites had predicted at the start of the tournament. They have never gone beyond the Semifinal and have to overcome this jinx. The Australians come here beaming with confidence. Their batsmen are in good form, and the side has always done well in the knockout stage. There will be pressure on both teams to do well, and we shall have a great game on our hands.  

South Africa Preview      

Temba Bavuma's side did better than what most would have expected from them in the group stages.  They have batted well, and the bowling attack has complemented their batters. However, the side must battle the baggage of history as they have lost the semifinal thrice and have the betting odds against them. The side has done well against Australia in recent games. The Aussies won't offer them freebies, and Bavuma would like his players to take inspiration from those wins.     
 
Quinton de Kock has made 591 runs, but he will need support at the other end from Bavuma. The skipper has struggled with the bat, a big headache for the team. Rassie van der Dussen and Aiden Markram have done well for the side in this tournament and will look to do well in the middle order. The team will expect a good show in the final overs from David Miller and Marco Jansen to take the team to a big score.  

Lungi Ngidi and Marco Jansen have done well against Australians, and they must draw early blood to put the side in a commanding position. Kagiso Rabada and Keshav Maharaj have been the best bowlers for the team in the past few games, and they must perform at their best. Gerald Coetzee and Markram must do well in the supporting role, as the Aussies will target them.   

Expected Starting XI for South Africa     

Temba Bavuma (c), Quinton de Kock (wk), Rassie van der Dussen, Aiden Markram, Heinrich Klaasen, David Miller, Andile Phehlukwayo, Gerald Coetzee, Keshav Maharaj, Kagiso Rabada, Lungi Ngidi 

Australia Preview      

Pat Cummins' side comes into this game with seven consecutive wins. They had started the tournament with two losses, much against what most cricket betting tips had suggested, but they have since been on a roll. It was a textbook performance from the team against Bangladesh in their last game, where they won by eight wickets. Cummins' side has big match players who will look to do well against the South Africans who have dominated them in recent matches.  

David Warner has played well in the tournament and will look to deliver big partnership for the opening wicket with Travis Head. Mitchell Marsh scored a hundred in the previous game, and he will look to do well in the middle order with  Steve Smith and Marnus Labuschagne. Glenn Maxwell and Josh Inglis are good hitters, and the side will expect fireworks from them in the lower middle order.          
 
The side will need a good start in this game from Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood with the new ball, as the South African top order has been in great form. Cummins hasn't had the best tournament and will look to bring out the best of his bowling in this game. Zampa has troubled the batters, making it a strong bowling attack with Head and Labuschagne.       

Expected Starting XI for Australia     

Pat Cummins (c), David Warner, Travis Head, Mitchell Marsh, Steven Smith, Marnus Labuschagne, Josh Inglis (wk), Glenn Maxwell, Sean Abbott, Adam Zampa, Josh Hazlewood Mitchell Starc 

TOSS: To Bat First      

Three out of four games have been won by sides that have batted first in Kolkata. It hasn't been an easy wicket to chase scores as the fast bowlers get a lot of assistance from the surface in the second innings. It is a high-pressure game, and both teams will prefer to bat first and put up a big score.  

PITCH AND WEATHER CONDITIONS      

Kolkata will see overcast skies, and we may see rain during the game. There will be assistance for the bowlers in the early overs under cloud cover. Batsmen can play their strokes once they get their eyes set in. The side batting first would look to have 300 runs on the board to defend it successfully. 

OUR PREDICTION      

South Africans have choked in the semifinal stage in the past. They will look to avoid it here with a strong show. The best players in the side have been on the money, and they will look to ride this momentum. Performing well in the knockout stage has been the hallmark of the Australian side. They have a strong pace attack, which will enjoy bowling under cloud cover. We expect a close game, but the Australians have an edge.  

Our Prediction is for Australia to win.