Top 5 spells by a South African in 2023 ODI World Cup ft. Gerald Coetzee
South Africa looked as threatening as ever but failed to reach the final of the ICC Men's ODI World Cup 2023. The Proteas lost their semi-final contest against Australia at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata on Thursday, November 16.
Batting first, South Africa were jolted early, as they lost their entire top-order inside the powerplay. Courtesy of a special century by David Miller, they did make 212 on the board.
While the South African bowling unit did their best to put Australia under pressure, the five-time champions scrapped through the chase with three wickets remaining.
The Temba Bavuma-led side proved to be one of the most entertaining teams to watch at the 2023 ODI World Cup. While their power-packed batting unit made rounds throughout the tournament, they also took a lot of pride in their bowling.
Alongside India, they had the most complete bowling attack as different individuals came up with moments of brilliance during the competition.
On that note, here are South Africa's five best bowling performances in the 2023 ODI World Cup.
#5 Gerald Coetzee - 3/35 vs England in Mumbai
![Gerald Coetzee vs England [Getty Images]](https://statico.sportskeeda.com/editor/2023/11/1ff49-17002194922935-1920.jpg?w=500)
Gerald Coetzee came out as the biggest positive for South Africa from their 2023 ODI World Cup campaign. Destiny aligned the stars for him, as Anirch Nortje unfortunately missed out, which saw Coetzee make it to the Proteas squad.
Coetzee, who never went wicketless in the entire tournament, bowled a brilliant spell against England at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai.
Chasing a mammoth target of 400, the English batters had a horrid start. They were 38/4 inside the powerplay, as Marco Jansen and Lungi Ngidi decimated the top-order.
After the powerplay, Jos Buttler and Harry Brook tried to steady the ship for England. Coetzee, who bowled the 10th over, conceded 17 runs.
However, he made an astonishing comeback, sending back Jos Buttler on the very first ball of his next over. One ball later, he crushed England's hopes, trapping Harry Brook in front of the stumps.
The two wickets in the over sent shivers down the English camp as they were reduced to 68/6 in no time. In his same spell, the pacer scalped his third wicket as well and completely owned the stage by removing Adil Rashid.
It also proved to be his last over as England were bundled out for 170 and lost the encounter by 229 runs.
#4 Marco Jansen - 3/31 vs New Zealand in Pune
Barring a couple of games, Marco Jansen made sure that South Africa enjoyed superb starts with the ball. The lanky pacer troubled the opposition batters with his extra bounce and swing with the new ball.
He did the same magic against New Zealand and registered his best figures of the tournament - 3/31 in Pune. Defending 358, South Africa rocked Devon Conway (2) early on, courtesy of a zipping delivery by Jansen. The left-armer continued to trouble the batters before finally removing Rachin Ravindra as well on the last ball of the ninth over. Jansen bowled a bouncer, which Ravindra couldn't keep down and was holed out at fine leg.
Jansen finished the powerplay with 2/20 in five overs. His opening spell pretty much did the job for South Africa, who reduced the Kiwis to 100/6 before Jansen came back to claim his third wicket of the night by removing Tim Southee.
Keshav Maharaj (4/46) also bowled brilliantly and cleaned up the tail to help South Africa win the game by 190 runs.
#3 Tabraiz Shamsi - 4/60 vs Pakistan in Chennai
![Tabraiz Shamsi during Pakistan v South Africa - ICC World Cup 2023 [Getty Images]](https://statico.sportskeeda.com/editor/2023/11/29eac-17002260831068-1920.jpg)
Tabraiz Shamsi played only one game before facing Pakistan in the tournament. However, the conditions in Chennai asked South Africa to play the leg-spinner, who thrived in the opportunity he got.
Shamsi produced a match-winning spell against Pakistan and finished with four crucial wickets, which was instrumental in keeping Pakistan down to a moderate score of 270.
He first enticed a scruffy Iftikhar Ahmed, who was beaten in the air and was holed out by the long-on fielder. In his very next over, he claimed the most important wicket of Babar Azam, who made a half-century before edging one to the keeper off Shamsi's delivery.
Saud Shakeel and Shaheen Afridi were bamboozled by his wrong uns as he kept bowling in the right channels. He did go for a few boundaries in between but kept taking wickets at regular intervals.
#2 Kagiso Rabada - 3/33 vs Australia in Lucknow
While Australia got the better of South Africa in the semi-finals, the Proteas outplayed them in their league-stage fixture in Lucknow.
After being put to bat first, South Africa made 311/7 in their 50 overs. They backed up their performance by going all guns blazing with the ball.
South Africa's star pacer Kagiso Rabada led the charge this time, with his impeccable pace bowling. On a track that offered some spice to the bowlers, Rabada made sure to make the Aussie batters pay.
In his first over, Steve Smith hit Rabada for two consecutive fours before the pacer dismissed the Aussie No. 3 by trapping him in front of the stumps.
Rabada followed it up with the dismissal of Josh Inglis, who was completely castled by a peach of an outswinging delivery by Rabada.
After a couple of quite overs, Australia dealt another body blow as Rabada sent back Marcus Stoinis to send Australia reeling at 70/6. The right-arm pacer, who bowled eight overs on the night, returned with 3/33 and was undoubtedly South Africa's best bowler on display.
#1 Gerald Coetzee - 2/47 vs Australia in the semi-final in Kolkata
![Gerald Coetzee during the semi-final vs AUS [Getty Images]](https://statico.sportskeeda.com/editor/2023/11/0aab5-17002275106949-1920.jpg)
This spell didn't come in a winning cause, nor did it include several wickets. However, Coetzee's special performance in the semi-final was all about persistence, tenacity, and toil.
With just 212 on the board, South Africa needed something special to keep their hope alive. The track in Kolkata had everything for the spinners in the second innings as both Maharaj and Shamsi made the Aussie batters dance on their feet.
With less than 40 runs required, Australia still had Steve Smith and Josh Inglis on the crease. While only a couple of overs from Maharaj and Shamsi were left in the bank for South Africa, Temba Bavuma needed to bring in his pacers.
Coetzee, who leaked 15 runs in the one over he bowled, came back after the 30-over mark. With both Smith (30) and Inglis (28) looking more comfortable against the pacers, Coetzee needed something extraordinary to rattle them.
The 23-year-old bowled his heart out in what was the biggest game of his career. Dishing out thunderbolts of over 150 kmph, Coetzee brought South Africa back into the game by dismissing Smith.
He followed it with one of the best balls of the game by bamboozling Inglis with an inch-perfect yorker. The wicket filled the South African players with extreme jubilation.
Bowling eight overs on the trot, that too with utmost vigor and high intensity, Coetzee delivered his all, but unfortunately, South Africa didn't have much on the board.