Sport is such a cruel thing !! 

It takes you to the heights of ecstasy and just when you are ready to pump your fist in joy, it throws you into the depths of despair, leaving you in an abyss - dark and dreadful.

South Africa came into the tournament boasting of a team which, on its day, was capable of defeating any opponent. They had the best batsman in world cricket in AB de Villiers leading their side. A strong bowling attack led by Dale Steyn and a fielding team which was miles ahead of any other team. South Africa was a strong contender to lay its hands on the holy grail of Cricket. 

The unwanted and unshed tag of Chokers accompanied them on every major cricket tour. For a team as talented as the Proteas, their biggest and perhaps the only fear was in their mind.They tried their best to leave it behind for this tournament. It was time they buried the ghosts of the past. As with every team, they had the hopes of a nation riding on them. 

As the tournament progressed, they had a few hiccups but qualified for the knockouts comfortably. Their batsman broke a few records in the process, with captain fantastic leading the way. 

The Quarterfinals were the first big test. Having never won a knockout match in previous World Cups thanks to rain, D/L and their ability to choke, they had the chance to put their first big step forward to shed the tag. And they did that in fine style, destroying last time runner up Sri Lanka in a one sided encounter. Suddenly, South Africa had won a knock out stage. They were no longer the glorious losers in knock outs. Would this be the year they turned it all around. It was just a matter of another two matches and they would have done the unthinkable - win three knockout matches on the trot. 

The Semifinal against New Zealand was expected to be a close affair between two evenly matched teams, with neither of them having won a world cup semifinal. More than the on field ability, it was going to be a battle of the minds and nerves. 

In the end, as Grant Elliot hit the winning six to take co hosts New Zealand into the finals, it was Deja vu for South Africa.

Yet another world cup knockout, yet another loss snatched from the jaws of victory. Rain may have been unfair to the Proteas but they still had a good enough score to defend. New Zealand were chasing a huge target in front of their home crowd and under pressure of the huge expectations. South Africa had the match under control for most parts of the game, but somehow managed to let it go. 

As ironic as it can get, it was the South African fielding which let them down on the big day. Two dropped catches and four missed run outs deprived South Africa their chance to make it to the final. For a team which set the fielding standards so high, it indeed was a big let down. The fact that their best bowler could not deliver on the big day, clobbered around by the batsman, did not help either. 

The South African cricketers are a bunch of immensely lovable people, admired, adored and respected by their peers as well as fans.To see them break down was heart wrenching and saddening. A man who could destroy the best of bowlers looked distraught and heart broken.The players could not control their emotions. head buried in the ground, tears running down their cheeks. As they slowly lifted themselves up, consoling each other and walking off together, cricket fans across the world could not stop shedding a tear. This was a team which could have reached the pinnacle, but yet again, as was the case with previous South African teams, when it mattered the most, they could not deliver. They Choked !!

Sport is such a cruel thing !!