Australia and South Africa will meet in the second semi-final of the 2023 World Cup in Kolkata and here’s a combined XI of the best players from the two sides in the tournament.
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Both teams won seven of their games, but South Africa earned second place in the table due to a superior Net Run Rate. Australia were third, and the two will now meet on November 16 to decide the last finalist of the World Cup.
South Africa defeated Australia earlier in the tournament, but Pat Cummins’ team have been on a roll since, winning each of their seven games after that.
Wisden’s combined South Africa-Australia World Cup XI
David Warner
499 runs @ 55.44, 100s: 2
The top-run scorer from Australia, Warner continued his stellar World Cup form and is just one run short of becoming only the second batter with two successive 500-run tournaments. The left-hander has batted with a strike rate of 105.49 and has made his last World Cup memorable. He benefited from a dropped catch on 10 against Pakistan but made the most of it, adding 153 more runs.
Quinton de Kock (wk)
591 runs @ 65.66, 100s: 4
One of the best openers in the World Cup, De Kock laid the foundation for the batters to follow with his aggressive approach upfront. He was dismissed in single digits only once and is one of four batters to make more than 500 runs in the event thus far.
Mitchell Marsh
426 runs @ 60.85, 100s: 2
Yet another big hitter, Marsh started the World Cup as an opener, filling in for Travis Head, who was out injured. After two slow starts, he made 52 and 121 in games that helped kickstart Australia’s campaign. Once Head returned he effortlessly switched to No.3 and made 177* in the last game against Bangladesh.
Aiden Markram
396 runs @ 49.50, 100s: 1
Markram made a fine 54-ball 106 in the opener against Sri Lanka, propelling South Africa to a 400-plus score. He has not made another hundred since but has contributed with quick cameos. His strike rate of 114.45 is the third-highest among all batters with 350 runs in the event.
Heinrich Klaasen
326 runs @ 40.75, 100s: 1
Klaasen has batted with a strike rate below 100 only twice in nine innings and has hit at 160 or more four times. He battled cramps and extreme humidity to score a 67-ball 109 against England at Wankhede and followed it up with another rapid 90 in the next game. His form has allowed South Africa to go all out right from the start.
Glenn Maxwell
397 runs @ 79.40, 100s: 2
Both of Maxwell’s hundreds were eye-turning, marvellous knocks that will be remembered in years to come. His first ton against the Netherlands is the quickest in the history of the World Cup, where he went from 50 to 100 in only 13 balls. His second, a double ton, is arguably the best knock in an ODI, where he rescued Australia from 91-7, battled cramps and dragged his team to an epic win.
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Marco Jansen
157 runs @ 39.25
17 wickets @ 24.41, BBI: 3-31
Jansen at No.7 was always going to be a risk, with South Africa’s batting depth drastically reduced. However, the form of the top six batters has allowed the gamble to pay off. He has raised his hands with the ball, taking at least a wicket in each of his eight innings.
Gerald Coetzee
18 wickets @ 19.38, BBI: 4-44
Coetzee was a last-minute addition to the side after Anrich Nortje was ruled out due to injury. He had played only six ODIs before the World Cup but has been the surprise package, picking up the most wickets among all South Africa bowlers. Coetzee has picked up more than two wickets in six of his seven games and has got a scalp every 18.1 balls, making it the best strike rate among the top six bowlers.
Adam Zampa
22 wickets @ 18.90, BBI: 4-8
The leading wicket-taker in the World Cup thus far, Zampa has also been the best Australia bowler by a long margin. The famed pacers have struggled to get consistent wickets, and Zampa has taken on the duties, grabbing three four-fors and two three-fors.
Kagiso Rabada
12 wickets @ 26.91, BBI: 3-33
10 of Rabada’s 12 wickets have come in the first 20 overs, a phase where he averages 16.20 with an economy rate of 3.95. The South Africa camp has used him wisely, only giving him eight overs in the competition at the death, where he has proven to be expensive.
Keshav Maharaj
14 wickets @ 24.71, BBI: 4-46
Maharaj has been the most economical bowler among both sides in the competition, building on pressure in the middle overs. He has dismissed in-form batters like Maxwell, Daryl Mitchell, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Abdullah Shafique and Shubman Gill, showing just how crucial he has been. He also led his team to a win with the bat against Pakistan.
