SOUTH Africa's World Cup jinx returned to haunt it on Friday in a stunning defeat to New Zealand as India and Pakistan's looming semi-final confrontation sparked a diplomatic and ticket frenzy.
South Africa, chasing 222 to win in Dhaka, crumbled from 2-108 to 172 all out and lost by 49 runs to a never-say-die New Zealand side in an exciting finish in front of 23,000 fans at the Sher-e-Bangla stadium.
Jacob Oram was New Zealand's man of the match with four wickets and two catches, while off-spinner Nathan McCullum sealed the Proteas' fate with 3-24 from 10 overs.
Skipper Graeme Smith (28) and Jacques Kallis (47) put on 61 as South Africa moved to 2-108 by the 24th over, before the last eight wickets crashed for 64 runs.
New Zealand, which has reached its sixth semi-final, will play the winner of last night's match between Sri Lanka and England in Colombo while South Africa, often regarded as the best team never to have won the World Cup, was left to lick its wounds.
South Africa's World Cup record is now three semi-final defeats, two losses in the quarter-finals and once in the first round.
''There are no words to describe how I feel,'' said Smith, who has now played his last one-day international. ''We just have to take it on the chin. It was a very disappointing evening.
''Your guess is as good as mine [on their failure to progress. It's been happening since 1992. We just weren't good enough tonight, but we have to take it forward and not get bogged down.
''There will be a new coach and new captain. We are disappointed with tonight, and nothing I say is going to change that for fans back home.''
New Zealand captain Daniel Vettori praised his team's spirit.
''Every single bowler stepped up today, and probably it was the fielding that got us through,'' he said.
''Once we got 220, we knew we had to be aggressive. We knew it was a tricky wicket and it was going to be an old-school one-day game.''
Defending a modest total, New Zealand earned a lucky break in the first over of the innings when Hashim Amla tried to cut a ball from Nathan McCullum.
The edged ball bounced off wicketkeeper Brendon McCullum's boot to Vettori in the slips.
Smith and Kallis rallied the Proteas before the skipper cut Oram to point where substitute fielder Jamie How picked up a low catch in the 15th over.
Kallis moved towards his half-century when, in an uncharacteristic rush of blood, he pulled seamer Tim Southee high to deep mid-wicket where Oram took a running catch.
New Zealand then claimed two wickets in one over to reduce the rattled South Africans to 5-121 in 28 overs.
JP Duminy was bowled by Nathan McCullum for three and A. B. de Villiers ran himself out after a mix-up with Faf du Plessis.
The spot-on Oram tightened the screws further when he bowled Johan Botha and had Robin Peterson caught behind in successive overs. Du Plessis hit 36 at the end, but South Africa's slim hopes ended when he holed out in the covers off Oram.
Meanwhile, India's semi-final duel with Pakistan sparked a cross-border diplomatic initiative and sent ticket prices soaring on the black market.
India faces its arch-rival in Mohali on Wednesday in what will be Pakistan's first match in India since the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks.
''India v Pakistan in semi-finals - it doesn't get better,'' said India skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni.
''There will be more pressure on the Indian side and it will be from outside. People will say, 'Win the semis, we don't care about the final'.''
Pakistan coach Waqar Younis admitted it would be ''awesome'' to take on India for a place in the final at the Wankhede stadium in Mumbai on April 2. ''There is no bigger rivalry in the game than that … it should be very exciting.''
Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh intends to attend the match and has invited Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari and Premier Yousuf Raza Gilani to the game.
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