Summary

  • Australia book World Cup final date against hosts India

  • Cummins and Starc see Australia to three-wicket victory

  • Regular wickets keep SA in contention on spinning wicket

  • Head (62) and Smith (30) top-score for Australia

  • South Africa bowled out for 212

  • Miller hits 115-ball century, bringing up hundred with a six

  • Klaasen (47) & Miller put on 95 for fifth wicket

  • South Africa slump to 24-4 under grey skies

  • Starc & Cummins take three wickets each

  1. Postpublished at 17:20 Greenwich Mean Time 16 November 2023

    Well, after 47 games, we've made it to the final.

    It'll be unbeaten India against five-time winners Australia. We'll be back with you from 8:00 GMT on Sunday to bring you all the action from what promises to be a cracker.

    Here's Sam Drury's match report from today to keep you entertained until then.

    We're all off to try and figure out something to do with our two cricket-free days, but we look forward to you joining us for one last dance on Sunday!

  2. 'Going to be a special final...'published at 17:18 Greenwich Mean Time 16 November 2023

    More from Australia skipper Pat Cummins: "Travis Head was crazy. He has a knack of finding a wicket when you need one. That was huge. I think it has been a feature of the whole tournament. There's been players who chip in with those middle-over wickets and Travis was the man today.

    "Josh Inglis played beautifully. We had heaps of time and he looked in total control our there, particularly against two really good spinners on a tough wicket."

    Australia's eighth final. What's the secret? "I don't know really. The good thing is a few guys have been there in a final before so we can draw on that. A couple of other guys have played in T20 World Cups as well. You have to embrace it. It's going to be packed, pretty one-sided I reckon, so you just have to embrace it.

    "It's going to be a special final. I still talk of the 2015 as one of my career highlights and I wasn't even playing. So to be out there in a final, in India, world's biggest stadium...it's a very happy changing room at the moment."

  3. Postpublished at 17:16 Greenwich Mean Time 16 November 2023

    Need a cricket fix before the final? Look no further.

    Cast your minds back through the group stages, and have your say on your favourite moment, favourite game and favourite player.

    Maxwell's 201*? The timed-out controversy? Netherlands' shock win over South Africa?

    Vote here.

  4. 'A nerve-wracking couple of hours'published at 17:14 Greenwich Mean Time 16 November 2023

    Australia captain Pat Cummins: "I think it is easier out there than sitting in the dugout. A nerve-wracking couple of hours. Great effort, plenty of good performances. We're pretty pumped. We thought it was going to spin quite a bit but probably was not expecting to Josh Hazlewood and Mitchell Starc to bowl so much so early.

    "We thought chasing 200 could be tricky. We knew it would spin later on but it was gloomy and swinging around, the boys were bowling beautifully, so I wasn't upset at [the toss] at that stage.

    "We talked a lot about our fielding. We weren't up to scratch at the start of the tournament, but there was effort shown by all. David Warner at 37 diving around was incredible. The big two up front were ridiculous today."

  5. Postpublished at 17:11 Greenwich Mean Time 16 November 2023

    Geoff Lemon
    BBC Test Match Special commentator

    Australia haven't really put together a complete game. It's been on the fast bowlers later in the game to pull things back.

    They got on top of South Africa early today with the ball for the first time. You'd rather go into a final with a ruthless up front performance which shows they could potentially get at India.

  6. 'Coetzee was a warrior'published at 17:09 Greenwich Mean Time 16 November 2023

    More from Temba Bavuma: "We felt our total was competitive. We would have liked to start better, they had more than 70 in the first 10 overs. Our spinners really put them under pressure, but we needed a lot to go our way.

    "We had tough chances that we put down. When the margins are like that you need things to go your way. That doesn't take away from the Australia display.

    "Coetzee was a warrior. For him to be able to bowl with the intensity and aggression he did got us back into the game. He didn't want to let go of the ball. He will be a big asset for South African cricket.

    "Quinton de Kock has had an outstanding tournament. We've enjoyed playing with him. He has dazzled us all. In South Africa he will go down as a legend of the game."

  7. Postpublished at 17:06 Greenwich Mean Time 16 November 2023

    South Africa gave it everything in reply.

    They had moments of brilliance from Rassie van der Dussen and Gerald Coetzee.

    They had close calls from Tabraiz Shamsi and Keshav Maharaj, the spinners bowling beautifully together in tandem.

    But it was agonisingly in vain. Australia had the luxury to just nudge the ball around in the final 10 overs without any scoreboard pressure, and it earned them a spot in the final.

  8. 'Australia were ruthless'published at 17:03 Greenwich Mean Time 16 November 2023

    South Africa captain Temba Bavuma: "It's quite hard to put into words. Congratulations to Australia. They were outstanding for a large part of the day.

    "Our character came through. We showed the resilience we talk about and a bit of dog fight. The way we started with the bat and ball was the turning point, we always had to play catch-up.

    "The conditions combined with the quality of the Australia attack. They were ruthless and exploited every bit of advantage, and really put us under pressure. From 24-4, it was always going to be hard to get a competitive total."

  9. Postpublished at 17:00 Greenwich Mean Time 16 November 2023

    We saw Daryl Mitchell's classy century in a losing cause yesterday, and David Miller's today.

    He came to the middle at 24-4 and left with a 115-ball ton.

    Without him, this game would have ended hours ago.

  10. 'I thought I wouldn't even be here'published at 16:57 Greenwich Mean Time 16 November 2023

    Player of the match Travis Head: "It's hard to unpack all of that. I didn't move for the past couple of hours. It was a tense finish and an amazing game.

    "We knew how it was going to play and how we would adapt. You train, go to bed and think about it. I think the pitches have been unbelievable. We knew it would be a grind and a battle and that's what it was.

    "After the broken hand I thought I wasn't going to be here. I just want to contribute for Australia and will have another chance in a couple of days."

    On the Klaasen wicket: "I was under the pump and somehow that got through him. I'm always keen to have a bowl."

  11. Postpublished at 16:54 Greenwich Mean Time 16 November 2023

    Australia opener Travis Head is named player of the match for his 62 from 48 balls that helped them get off to a flyer.

    Their start of 60-o in six overs ensured that even when South Africa's spinners fought back, they were comfortably ahead of the game and the pressure wasn't quite as intense.

    He also took two wickets in two balls to completely stall South Africa's counter-attack in the middle overs.

    We'll hear from him shortly.

  12. Postpublished at 16:51 Greenwich Mean Time 16 November 2023

    Steven Finn
    Former England bowler on BBC Test Match Special

    AustraliaImage source, Reuters

    I can see Australia pushing India. They've got great togetherness and belief they can do anything in any circumstances. Australia have grown as the tournament has gone on.

  13. Postpublished at 16:48 Greenwich Mean Time 16 November 2023

    Handshakes and hugs all round but South Africa look dejected.

    Quinton de Kock bows out from international cricket after a fabulous personal tournament but there's no fairytale ending.

    South Africa fought bravely with the ball, but they'll be thinking about those first 10 overs with the bat for quite some time.

    To go from 24-4, they've done remarkably well to take it to the penultimate over.

  14. Postpublished at 16:45 Greenwich Mean Time 16 November 2023

    Steven Finn
    Former England bowler on BBC Test Match Special

    I was tense up here. A fantastic game of cricket. It ebbed and flowed. You have to give South Africa credit for dragging themselves back into it, especially David Miller.

  15. Postpublished at 16:42 Greenwich Mean Time 16 November 2023

    Jonathan Agnew
    BBC cricket correspondent on Test Match Special

    Australia have made their supporters sweat a bit and credit to South Africa's players who made them work for it. They were undone at the beginning of the game by some fine Australia bowling in helpful conditions.

  16. AUSTRALIA WIN BY THREE WICKETSpublished at 16:40 Greenwich Mean Time 16 November 2023
    Breaking

    Crashed through the covers for four and Australia make their way to another World Cup final!

    After a tense and twitchy partnership, Mitchell Starc and Pat Cummins get Australia over the line.

    It's semi-final heartbreak once again for South Africa.

  17. Aus 211-7published at 47 overs

    Need 2 runs to win

    Well, Starc takes a risk.

    He swings wildly at Aiden Markram's last ball and again, the ball just misses off stump!

    How on earth has this managed to go to the 48th over? It's taken about 20 overs to score the last 20 runs here.

  18. Aus 211-7published at 46.3 overs

    Need 2 runs to win

    A single to Cummins. Still not risking it.

  19. Postpublished at 16:36 Greenwich Mean Time 16 November 2023

    Jonathan Agnew
    BBC cricket correspondent on Test Match Special

    SAImage source, Getty Images

    A half-volley on leg stump and nicely put away by Mitchell Starc. A bizarre bowling change to use Marco Jansen, in my opinion.

  20. Aus 210-7published at 46 overs

    Need 3 runs to win

    He finishes with a solid yorker but that four has done the damage from South Africa's perspective.