Cricket
ICC World Cup Factbox: How South Africa have fared in quadrennial showpiece event over the years
South Africa have earned themselves the ‘chokers’ tag for near-misses and heartbreaks in ODI World Cup history.
FirstCricket Staff Last Updated:October 04, 2023 10:15:25 IST 
South Africa come into the ODI World Cup on the back of a 3-2 series win over Australia. AP
South Africa missed all international cricket from the 70s until the early 90s because of the apartheid era. When they returned, at the 1992 World Cup in Australia and New Zealand, South Africa and their talented side reached the semi-finals. Overall, they’ve never won the World Cup despite hosting it in 2003.
World Cup 2023: News | Schedule | Results | Points table
At the 2023 World Cup in India, South Africa will bank on their pace-heavy bowling attack to go all the way for the first time. Quinton de Kock, a crucial top-order batter, will be playing his last Cricket World Cup while the absences of Anrich Nortje and Sisanda Magala do hurt their chances and morale.
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As we build towards the 2023 ODI World Cup, we bring to you some of South Africa’s numbers at the World Cup since their first appearance in 1992:
Titles: 0
World Cup recap: South Africa have been to the semi-finals of the ODI World Cup four times. They’ve earned themselves the tag of ‘chokers’ for coming very close to making the finals but not actually going through. In part, it is due to the quality of players they’ve produced over the years such as Allan Donald, Shaun Pollock, Gary Kirsten, Jacques Kallis, Hansie Cronje, AB de Villiers, and Dale Steyn.
At the 1992 World Cup, South Africa endured an unlucky exit. From needing 22 runs in 13 balls, a rain intervention and pre Duckworth-Lewis Rule application later, it became 22 runs needed off just one ball.
In 1999, South Africa were guilty of ‘dropping’ the World Cup with Herschelle Gibbs letting go of a guilt-edge catch. Later, they would tie the semi-final against Australia but not go through as Australia had finished better in the group stage.
At the 2003 World Cup at home, South Africa skipper Shaun Pollock was believed to have read the runs required wrong after a rain interruption. As a result, Sri Lanka progressed and South Africa bowed out in the group stage.
South Africa suffered further heartbreak at the 2015 World Cup. In the semi-finals, they exited to New Zealand in a rain-affected tie when even defending a 282-run target which was later revised to 298 runs wasn’t enough. An incredible batting display by Grant Elliot swept South Africa aside.
At the most recent World Cup, South Africa produced a horrid show with three wins, five defeats, and a match washed out to finish seventh in the standings.
Edition-wise performances
1975: Banned from international cricket
1979: Banned from international cricket
1983: Banned from international cricket
1987: Banned from international cricket
1992: Semi-finals
1996: Quarter-finals
1999: Semi-finals
2003: Group stage
2007: Semi-finals
2011: Quarter-finals
2015: Semi-finals
2019: Group stage
World Cup record: Matches: 64; Won: 38; Lost: 23; No Result: 1; Tied: 2
Team Records
Highest total: 411/4 vs Ireland at Canberra, 2015
Lowest total: 149 vs Australia at Gros Islet, 2007
Individual Records
Most runs: 1,207 — AB de Villiers (2007-2015)
Most wickets: 40 — Imran Tahir (2011-2019)
Highest score: 188* — Gary Kirsten vs UAE at Rawalpindi, 1996
Best bowling figures: 5/18 — Andrew Hall vs England at Bridgetown, 2007
Most catches: 16 — Faf du Plessis (2011-2019)
ICC ODI Ranking: 6
World Cup Schedule:
7 October: vs Sri Lanka at New Delhi
12 October: vs Australia at Lucknow
17 October: vs Netherlands at Dharamsala
21 October: vs England at Mumbai
24 October: vs Bangladesh at Mumbai
27 October: vs Pakistan at Chennai
1 November: vs New Zealand at Pune
5 November: vs India at Kolkata
10 November: vs Afghanistan at Ahmedabad
World Cup Squad: Temba Bavuma (captain), Gerald Coetzee, Quinton de Kock, Reeza Hendricks, Marco Jansen, Heinrich Klaasen, Keshav Maharaj, Aiden Markram, David Miller, Lungi Ngidi, Andile Phehlukwayo, Kagiso Rabada, Tabraiz Shamsi, Rassie van der Dussen, Lizaad Williams.
