New Zealand deny South Africa World Cup glory for the 3rd time in a decade

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24th March 2011– New Zealand beat South Africa by 49 runs, ICC World Cup 2011, Fourth quarter-final.
25th March 2015– New Zealand beat South Africa by 4 wickets, ICC World Cup 2015, Semi-final.
19th June 2019 – New Zealand beat South Africa by 4 wickets, ICC World Cup 2019.

First, it was quarter-finals in 2011, then it was Semifinal in 2015 and now in 2019 Nmpaign once again. Almost a decade has passed between 2011 and now but the New Zealand Jinx has remained the same for the Proteas.

In the post-match press conference that followed South African skipper Faf du Plessis said they threw everything they had at New Zealand and that guys tried for 50 overs in the field when it came to bowling. These two lines sum this match and South Africa’s infamous 2015 Semi-final. Williamson and du Plessis were part of all three encounters. So were Imran Tahir and Martin Guptill but each one of those time New Zealand had a utility all-rounder with them who was destined to end South Africa’s World cup campaign.

All-rounders nail it

On all three occasions, it was a medium-paced all-rounder that took the game away from South Africa. When Collin De Grandhome walked out to bat South Africa had reduced New Zealand to 137-5 and the blackcaps still needed 105 from 100 balls on a slow pitch. What followed was absolute carnage as CDG struck a 47 ball 60 before Williamson put the finishing touches.

In 2015, South Africa set a daunting target of 299 in 43 overs due to the DLS method. South Africa managed to remove Brendon McCullum, Ross Taylor, Martin Guptill, and Kane Williamson. New Zealand still needed 5 runs of the final two balls and Grant Elliot smashed Dale Steyn out of the park. The right-hander played an 84 run match-winning knock.