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10 Turning Points In New Zealand's Win Over South Africa In World Cup Semifinal

10 Gamechanger Moments In New Zealand's Win Over South Africa In World Cup Semifinal
New Zealand batsman Grant Elliott (R) while South African wicketkeeper Quinton de Kock looks on during the Cricket World Cup semi-final match between New Zealand and South Africa at Eden Park in Auckland on March 24, 2015. AFP PHOTO / MARTY MELVILLE (Photo credit should read Marty Melville/AFP/Getty Images)
MARTY MELVILLE via Getty Images
New Zealand batsman Grant Elliott (R) while South African wicketkeeper Quinton de Kock looks on during the Cricket World Cup semi-final match between New Zealand and South Africa at Eden Park in Auckland on March 24, 2015. AFP PHOTO / MARTY MELVILLE (Photo credit should read Marty Melville/AFP/Getty Images)

The quarterfinals of this World Cup had disappointed fans of cricket because they were one-sided. But today's game was just epic, as New Zealand beat South Africa by six wickets in a great encounter to enter the finals for the first time ever.

This was among the best matches of this tournament as two strong sides clashed, and the match went down to the wire. A chance to win the world cup was at stake for both teams who had never progressed past the semi-final stage. In the end, New Zealand held their nerve to win a high-scoring game in their seventh semifinal appearance and created history.

South Africa were heartbroken, as they failed yet again for the third time in the semis. It sounds unbelievable that a team of this stature has never won an ICC tournament.

There were many crucial moments in this game as the match veered towards either side. Rains stopped play just when South Africa's AB De Villiers was hitting big shots after David Millers power-packed plunder of the New Zealand attack. At that time, it looked as if they might reach a total in excess of 340. But instead the match was suspended after 43 overs, and the revised target for New Zealand was 299, still an imposing total but not in the range that South Africa were aiming for.

It was game on from that point, and ultimately New Zealand's Grant Elliott ensured a spectacular finish after captain Brendon McCullum's ferocious opening assault. The slideshow tries to capture the ten moments that mattered in this game.

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This article exists as part of the online archive for HuffPost India, which closed in 2020. Some features are no longer enabled. If you have questions or concerns about this article, please contact indiasupport@huffpost.com.