I couldn’t hold back my tears in the dressing room after that devastating 2015 World Cup semi-final against New Zealand,” Faf du Plessis recollects. The match, which remains a haunting memory for cricket fans, saw the Proteas defeated. Du Plessis, who was a crucial part of the South African squad during the tournament, now shares the emotional turmoil that engulfed the dressing room following the loss.
Looking back on that moment, du Plessis characterized it as an uncommon occurrence in his cricketing journey. He emphasized the influence of weather on the outcome, noting that rain had disrupted the match and left New Zealand’s key bowlers with no overs to spare. South Africa had been defending a target of 400, and the rain-shortened game provided an opportunity for Brendon McCullum and his team to dominate.
“When we were batting first and rain interrupted the game, what people tend to forget is that all their main bowlers had already bowled their full quota of overs, and we were definitely targeting a score of 400. A shortened game brought someone like Brendon McCullum into play, and they got off to a great start. We had a couple of opportunities; it wasn’t all bad luck,” said du Plessis during a pre-match show on Star Sports.
He went on to say, “But after that game, oh my word! I have never seen a more devastated dressing room. The last time I cried like that was when I watched ‘The Lion King’ as a child. After that day, I sat down in the dressing room and tears just kept flowing. I looked around and saw 8-9 guys who were utterly shattered. It was the best and worst cricket match I’ve ever been a part of, considering everything that transpired,” he concluded.
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In a related note, AB de Villiers, the former South African captain, disclosed that the painful memory of the 2015 World Cup semi-final loss to New Zealand had a profound and lasting impact on him, affecting his spirit for nearly a year and playing a significant role in his sudden decision to retire from international cricket. In that rain-affected semi-final, South Africa suffered a four-wicket defeat to New Zealand via the D/L method. De Villiers openly admitted the immense struggle he faced in coming to terms with that heart-wrenching loss.
“That really took a toll on me, but I continued to play, trying to tough it out. I was batting exceptionally well. I still had incredible friendships and memories,” De Villiers shared with Harsha Bhogle.
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