Watch: Heinrich Klaasen hit two back-to-back sixes off Adam Zampa to start a counterattack against Australia in the second semi-final against Australia at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata today (November 16).

South Africa won the toss and elected to bat first in overcast conditions, a decision that proved costly for them as the Australian new ball pair of Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood ran riot.

Temba Bavuma, playing despite not being 100 per cent fit, fell in the first over, while Quinton de Kock fell for the eighth time against Hazlewood in his ODI career soon after. Aiden Markram and Rassie van der Dussen followed suit as well, as South Africa were reduced to 28-4 after 12 overs.

Heinrich Klaasen and David Miller then joined hands to resurrect South Africa’s innings, mixing caution with aggression. In particular, Miller did not miss any opportunity to put away bad balls, reaching 29 off 31 by the 20th over with three fours and two sixes to his name.

Klaasen, who had been subdued up until then, only reaching 22 off 33 by the end of 26 overs, launched a counterattack in the 27th when Zampa erred in length.

The third and fourth balls were pitched slightly short by Zampa and Klaasen was quick as ever to get onto the back-foot and pull them over mid-wicket for sixes.

Miller then hit another six off Zampa in his next over as South Africa’s score looked a much more respectable 111-4 after 30 overs. However, in a masterstroke, Pat Cummins brought on Travis Head in the next over who got two wickets in two balls, including those of Klaasen and Marco Jansen, to reduce South Africa to 119-6.

Watch Heinrich Klaasen pull two consecutive sixes off Adam Zampa:

 

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