Ghost of '99 returns to haunt South Africa as familiar Proteas heartbreak silences Eden Gardens

In a scene of a famous Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) movie, Dr Strange – the master of the mystic arts – expertly traps cosmic entity Dormammu in an infinite time loop. He declares that both of them are trapped in the moment endlessly, and will remain so until Dormammu gives in to Strange's demands.

As the cricketing world witnessed the latest installment in South Africa's World Cup heartbreak on Thursday, one would think – Dormammu had an easier bargain.

South Africa found themselves trapped in an all-too-familiar loop on Thursday, conceding another World Cup semi-final loss – this time against Australia in Kolkata. It was their fifth defeat at this stage of the tournament in World Cup's history, as a place in the final of the marquee event still remains eluded for the Proteas.

Also read: I don't care who wins World Cup final: South Africa coach after losing to Australia

Temba Bavuma's men, who had dominated the league stage as the second-best performers, faltered when it mattered most, getting bowled out for 212 after opting to bat. The captain, struggling with his own batting form, took a rather brave – or misinformed – decision to play despite not being fully fit, and failed to inspire as his dismissal on a duck set the tone for a batting collapse. South Africa found themselves reeling at 18/2 in 10 overs – the lowest score in Powerplay in this edition – revealing the team's struggle to overcome nerves on significant occasions.

In 1999, South Africa's meltdown unravelled in a chaotic last over at the Edgbaston in England, as Allan Donald was left stranded in an infamous run out. It allowed Australia to march forward into the final and eventually win the title, thus marking the beginning of their cricketing domination. Fast forward to 2007, and the Proteas earned a shot at redemption against Australia, this time in the serene backdrop of St. Lucia. Opting to bat first, their aspirations to break the loop crumbled early, as South Africa were down to 27-5; eventually, they faced a seven-wicket defeat.

And it seemed the semi-final rematch on Thursday was the culmination of the two. It wasn't as one-sided as the ‘07 clash, and much like their seniors in ’99, the current lot stood resilient, exerting everything they had in the relentless pursuit of redemption. Yet, it wasn't to be for Bavuma and his men.

Beneath the ominous gray skies at the iconic Eden Gardens, the Proteas found themselves grappling with the formidable swing and seam bowling duo of Josh Hazlewood and Mitchell Starc. Following the early departures of Bavuma and Quinton de Kock, the troubles deepened as Aiden Markram (10) and Rassie van der Dussen (6) fell, plunging the team to a precarious 24-4.

David Miller fought hard to turn the tides against the relentless Australian attack, crafting a century to propel the Proteas to a below-par but commendable total of 212. The innings by the South African star effectively rallied the Eden Gardens crowd to lend their support to the Proteas. After all, backing the underdogs has consistently been a norm in neutral matches.

South Africa knew they needed wickets. But frustration rippled through the stands as pacer Marco Jansen delivered three wides in a span of four balls during the third over of Australia's reply. Kagiso Rabada's no-ball presented David Warner with a free hit, and the seasoned opener capitalized by smashing a second consecutive six. Travis Head enjoyed a stroke of luck, surviving dropped catches by sub-fielder Reeza Hendricks and Heinrich Klaasen within 14 balls. De Kock, the wicketkeeper, added to the missed opportunities by failing to hold onto Steve Smith's edge off spinner Tabraiz Shamsi.

The tally reached four dropped catches.

One would think – is it a matter of skill, or is the mental aspect the missing piece in South Africa's cricketing puzzle?

The spin-twins, Tabraiz Shamsi and Keshav Maharaj, did well to bring South Africa back in the game. On a pitch that spun plenty, the duo put a check on flow of runs and picked crucial wickets, which made the late-innings comeback by Australia all-the-more infuriating. The lower-order, led by Josh Inglis, Mitchell Starc, and Pat Cummins, clinched the crucial runs in a tense chase. Once again, it was a tale of missed chances, leaving South Africa pondering what could have been.

The Proteas can take positive from the fact that despite facing a mix of misfortune and nervous moments, the current lot did display resilience, fiercely defending a modest total until they couldn't. "It's obviously gutting to lose a semi-final. But beyond that, (I'm) incredibly proud of the fight shown by the lads," South Africa coach Rob Walter told reporters after the game.

The word ‘choke’ is often associated with South Africa, but Walter fiercely defended his men, insisting they showed great fight. “In this instance, we were behind the eight ball right from the word go and we actually fought our way back into the competition. So for me there's nothing even remotely close to a choke that happened out there today.”

Perhaps, it wasn't a choke. But the failure to deliver on the big stage does leave their cricket team grappling with questions about mental fortitude; after all, the loss in the semi-final has yet again overshadowed their commendable performances in the group stage.