South Africa will ride on ‘must-win mindset’ in World Cup semi-final

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.

The 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)