This word has been linked to South African cricket for ages. It’s definitely not a nice term, and it’s one that generations of fans have grown to despise. Some people see it as disrespectful, if not downright insulting, but it’s a label South Africa will have to deal with until they can turn a losing situation into a win in a crucial match of a major tournament.

We’re talking about ‘Chokers’. It basically means blowing a sure victory just when it seems within reach, like letting defeat slip through your fingers when success is just a heartbeat away.

A perfect example of this came during South Africa’s dramatic collapse in the T20 World Cup final against India back in June. At Kensington Oval in Bridgetown, they only needed 26 runs from the last 24 balls with six wickets still in hand, yet they somehow managed to lose by seven runs.

This pattern has been going on since the mid-90s. Take the 1996 World Cup, for instance; they breezed through the group stage but then got crushed in the quarterfinals by the West Indies, thanks to a stellar performance from Brian Lara. Fast forward three years to England, and they stumbled again, ending up in a tie in the semifinal against Australia when they were clearly in control, knocking themselves out because of a previous match result.

South Africa gave their critics another reason to bring up the ‘C’ word during their semifinal against India in the 2002 Champions Trophy in Colombo. Shaun Pollock’s team was in control for most of the match, but as they neared victory, they stumbled and fell apart once again.

Knowing how crucial runs are, especially against the Proteas in a knockout game, Sourav Ganguly opted to bat first at the R Premadasa Stadium. India ended up with a score of 261 for nine, which wasn’t terrible but didn’t inspire much confidence either. Despite Virender Sehwag’s quickfire 59, the team struggled to build momentum. The top seven all got starts, but aside from Sehwag, Rahul Dravid (49), and Yuvraj Singh, no one else managed to score more than 25, making partnerships hard to come by.

Even Yuvraj, known for his aggressive style, found it tough to dominate the bowling. He and Dravid added 72 runs for the fifth wicket, but it took them 93 balls to do so. Yuvraj finished with 62 off 72 balls, but the fact that he only hit six fours and no sixes highlighted the difficulties posed by the pitch and a disciplined bowling attack led by the captain and Allan Donald.

India struck early when Zaheer Khan dismissed young opener Graeme Smith, hinting at the left-arm quick’s future success against the left-handed batsman. However, Herschelle Gibbs and Jacques Kallis turned the tide for South Africa in their own unique ways. Gibbs was an unpredictable opener who could be explosive when he wanted, while Kallis was the steady accumulator, taking his time at the crease.

A surprising turn of events

Their partnership of 178 runs had South Africa just 69 runs away from victory, with nine wickets in hand and plenty of overs left, when the first twist hit. After battling through fatigue, dehydration, and cramps, Gibbs had to retire hurt at 192, having scored an impressive 116. With plenty of batting left and no real pressure on the run rate, it seemed like a straightforward win for South Africa. But they have a knack for creating their own pressure, and suddenly, India saw a chance.

Harbhajan Singh gave India a glimmer of hope by taking out Jonty Rhodes and Boeta Dippenaar in just four balls, making the South African players a bit jittery. Ganguly smartly brought in Sehwag’s off-spin, and he didn’t let the team down as the middle order fell apart quickly.

Out of nowhere, South Africa went from needing less than a run a ball to needing 21 runs off the final over, bowled by Sehwag. Kallis hit the first ball for a six but was out on the next delivery, and Lance Klusener struggled to make an impact. Incredibly, South Africa ended up at 251 for six, giving India a surprising 10-run victory.

Brief scores: India: 261/9 in 50 overs (Virender Sehwag 49, Rahul Dravid 49, Yuvraj Singh 62; Shaun Pollock 3-43, Allan Donald 2-41) beat South Africa: 251/6 in 50 overs (Herschelle Gibbs 116 retired hurt, Jacques Kallis 97; Harbhajan Singh 2-37, Virender Sehwag 3-25) by 10 runs. Player of the Match: Virender Sehwag.

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