How 1999 World Cup would have turned out had Herschelle Gibbs not dropped Steve Waugh

#4 We wouldn’t have witnessed Lance Klusener’s semi-final fireworks

Lance Klusener almost took South Africa to the final with his 16-ball 31

Lance Klusener is regarded as one of the greatest South African all-rounders of all-time and one of the best pinch-hitters. Klusener was at the peak of his powers at the 1999 World Cup and was adjudged the Player of the Tournament for his brilliant performances with both bat and ball.

Klusener delivered in every single game but perhaps his most memorable performance of the competition was his 16-ball 31 in the semi-final against Australia. While chasing 214, South Africa got off to a steady start but began to struggle after losing their openers, Gibbs and Gary Kirsten.

Jacques Kallis and Jonty Rhodes’ partnership of 84 for the fifth wicket combined with Shaun Pollock’s 14-ball-20 got South Africa back into the game. However, once all three were dismissed, South Africa were left reeling at 183/7, needing another 31 runs off the final 25 balls with two new batsmen at the crease in Klusener and Mark Boucher.

Known for performing brilliantly in crunch situations, Klusener began his innings steadily but two wickets in the 49^th over put the Proteas in a tricky position.

However, the all-rounder restored hope, hitting a six off the penultimate ball of the 49^th over before taking a single to keep strike in the final over, with South Africa requiring nine to win.

In the final over, Klusener hit two consecutive boundaries off Damien Fleming to level the scores and South Africa were all but assured of a place in the final at Lord’s before disaster struck. Klusener mishit the third delivery towards Darren Lehmann while Allan Donald was way out of his crease.

Lehmann missed his throw and Donald somehow survived.

In the very next delivery, Klusener hit the ball down the ground towards Mark Waugh and set off for a single while Donald was still in his crease. By the time the latter began to run, Waugh threw the ball towards Fleming who threw it towards Gilchrist who ran Donald out to end South Africa’s World Cup hopes.

Even though Klusener’s 31 came in a lost cause, it was still one of the finest innings of the tournament and this may not have happened if Gibbs had not dropped Waugh during the Super Sixes.