NEW DELHI: South Africa's Rassie van der Dussen has emphasised the team's unwavering "must-win mindset" in the lead-up to their highly anticipated World Cup semi-final clash against five-time champions Australia. The Proteas secured a crucial victory in their concluding league match against Afghanistan, with Van der Dussen's unbeaten 76 playing a pivotal role in the five-wicket win in Ahmedabad.
South Africa's journey to the semi-finals has seen them claim seven victories in nine matches, with their only losses coming against India and a surprising defeat to the Netherlands. Van der Dussen acknowledged the challenge posed by Australia, stating that despite a convincing 134-run victory over them earlier in the tournament, the semi-final encounter will present a different test.
Reflecting on Australia's experience in high-pressure situations, Van der Dussen commented, "A lot of their guys have been in those situations before and have a good reference of how it is, having won the World Cup and having played in the semi-final four years ago."
However, the South African batsman remains focused on the task at hand, emphasising that the outcome will depend on the team that shows up on the day and executes their plans effectively. He expressed confidence in the team's "must-win mindset" that has been prevalent throughout the tournament.
South Africa have a history of World Cup semi-final heartbreaks against Australia, with the most notable being the 1999 encounter that ended in a tie, favouring Australia due to a higher group stage finish. Van der Dussen, while acknowledging the past, is optimistic about the team's current chances and highlighted the squad's collective effort.
1/10:World Cup: South Africa scrape past spirited Afghanistan
PTI
2/10:Van der Dussen leads South Africa to victory
Rassie van der Dussen remained unbeaten on 76 off 95 balls to guide South Africa to a five-wicket win over Afghanistan.PTI
3/10:Coetzee takes four wickets to limit Afghanistan
Gerald Coetzee's four-wicket haul restricted Afghanistan to 244 runs despite Azmatullah Omarzai's impressive 97.AFP
4/10:Afghanistan's spirited performance
Afghanistan, who shocked defending champions England and Pakistan, can leave the World Cup with their heads held high.PTI
5/10:Quinton de Kock's aggressive start
Quinton de Kock's aggressive batting at the start of the chase set the tone for South Africa.AFP
6/10:Temba Bavuma's struggles continue
Skipper Temba Bavuma's poor run with the bat continued as he was dismissed for 23 runs.AFP
7/10:Omarzai's impressive knock
Azmatullah Omarzai's knock of 97 helped Afghanistan recover from a precarious position.ANI
8/10:Lungi Ngidi's injury scare
Lungi Ngidi briefly went off the field due to an ankle or achilles issue but returned to take crucial wickets.ANI
9/10:Maharaj's impact with the ball
Keshav Maharaj's introduction into the attack resulted in a wicket-maiden and a shift in momentum for South Africa.AFP
10/10:Zadran's disappointing performance
Ibrahim Zadran, who scored a century in the previous game, fell to a short ball from Gerald Coetzee.AFPThe Proteas' journey has been characterised by a determined approach, with Van der Dussen stating, "The whole chat around our group was, you know what, on the 19th of November (final) we'll be where we need to be if it's lifting the trophy or not. Whatever will happen will happen, but we'll definitely go away from here with fond memories."
As South Africa continue to shake off the "chokers" tag and aim for their first World Cup trophy, Van der Dussen praised the squad's collective effort, particularly highlighting Andile Phehlukwayo's crucial contribution in the recent victory against Afghanistan.
(With inputs from AFP)
