Kathmandu: Australia beat South Africa by three wickets in a tense chase of 213 on Thursday to set up a Cricket World Cup final against India.
Australia wobbled after Travis Head’s 62 in Kolkata but Steve Smith (30) and Josh Inglis (28) helped the five-time champions reach their target with 16 balls to spare and make their eighth final.
The championship match is in Ahmedabad on Sunday.
South Africa has never won a semifinal match at the World Cup in five attempts.
Opener Travis Head hit a quickfire 62 but Australia lost five wickets in their chase of 213 for victory in the World Cup semi-final against South Africa. Head and David Warner, who hit 29, started strongly before South Africa struck back at Kolkata’s Eden Gardens.
Aiden Markram bowled Warner and Kagiso Rabada sent back Mitchell Marsh for a duck as Head, who was dropped on 40 and 57, looked to bat on.
However, Australia were in trouble at 137-5 after Keshav Maharaj bowled Head and fellow spinner Tabraiz Shamsi struck twice in quick succession.
For South Africa, it was a fifth World Cup semi-final defeat despite David Miller’s 101.
The final is on Sunday at the world’s biggest cricket stadium in Ahmedabad.
