South Africa failed to chase down 30 runs in the last five overs with five wickets in hand in the T20 World Cup final as India clinched a thrilling victory by seven runs.

South Africa had the World Cup in the bag. But like they had done so many times in the past, they gave away the trophy to the opponents.

The South African cricket team is known as one of the sternest contenders in all formats of the game, but another quality associated with them is their inability to win critical games. It is this unwanted record that has earned them the nickname “chokers”.

The South African cricket team has a strong history but has faced some unfortunate circumstances in the Cricket World Cup. There are several reasons why South Africa have not won the World Cup.

Way back in the 1999 World Cup, when South Africa were playing against Australia, Herschelle Gibbs dropped a very important catch of skipper Steve Waugh who went on to score a match-winning 120 not out, helping Australia win that match to advance to the semi-finals in which they played South Africa again.

The word spread after the dropped catch that Steve Waugh told Gibbs that he might have just dropped the World Cup!

This was when the South African squad earned the title of “chokers” and the name remains attached to them although they are one of the top cricketing nations with some very experienced and talented players. Their inability to win any major world title like the World Cup, World Twenty20 or Champions Trophy has confirmed the tag.

They were unlucky in the 1992 World Cup, their first, when rain stopped their semi-final against England at a stage when they needed 22 runs from 13 balls. When they returned they were given 22 to score off just one ball because of the stupid formula devised then for rain-affected matches.

In 1996, one of the favourites, they were beaten in the quarter-final by West Indies in Karachi. Chasing a modest target of 265, South Africa got all out on 245.

In the 1999 World Cup semi-final against Australia at Edgbaston, South Africa needed only one run from the last four balls of the match but the last pair on the crease had a terrible mix-up and got run out. The game ended in a tie and Australia reached the final with a better record in the qualifying round.

In the 2003 World Cup that was held in South Africa, the hosts failed to qualify for the Super-8 stage.

In the 2007 World Cup semi-final in the West Indies, Australia bowled out the Proteas for just 149 after South Africa won the toss and elected to bat. Australia chased the target in just 31.3 overs for the loss of 3 wickets.

In 2011 at Dhaka, South Africa failed to chase 223 against New Zealand in the quarter-final, bowled out for 172 in the 44th over. They were 108-2 in the 25th over but lost their last seven wickets for only 64 runs.

In the T20 World Cup 2021, it was not just one match but a combination of two matches that cost the Proteas a chance in the semi-final. In the first game against Australia, they had the Aussies down at 38/3 in 8 overs, chasing 119 to win. Instead of building the pressure, they let it loose and Marcus Stoinis and Matthew Wade eventually won it. In another match against Sri Lanka, they lost quick wickets and stretched the game too long, which hurt them big time. In the end, South Africa, Australia, and England ended up with equal points, but the Proteas were eliminated because of a lower net run rate.

But the biggest shocker for the Proteas was their loss at the hands of the Netherlands in the 2022 T20 World Cup. They only needed that win to go ahead of Pakistan in the points table, but they messed up yet again.

South Africa do have match winners in the squad. They, however, lack a killer instinct. They lack the ability to raise themselves for a one-off knockout tie and win the game. They are a good consistent team within a series but don’t have the Siege mentality to put themselves together to defeat an opponent.

To win a tournament, you need not be the best team. You need to be able to peak at the right time for the right opponent. Moreover you need players who can play equally well, when the tide goes against them. One can see the record of any South African team; they start off the tournament well, win mighty against the minnows, do not peak at the right time and then fall off when they encounter a determined opponent.

The final of the T20 World Cup was the best chance for South Africa to remove the tag of “chokers” but they failed. Now they have to wait for years.

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