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<\/p>\nAustralia captain Pat Cummins believes his team\u2019s experience of big games will be beneficial <\/p>\n
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Australia have grown accustomed to reaching the business end of cricket showpiece events and that experience will stand them in good stead for their Cricket World Cup semi-final against South Africa, skipper Pat Cummins has said.<\/p>\n
The five-times champions shook off a sluggish start in India by stringing together seven wins in a row to make the last four, demonstrating yet again their ability to rise to the occasion when the pressure is on.<\/p>\n
Four of their 50-overs titles have come in the last six editions of the tournament, while they also won the Twenty20 version in the United Arab Emirates in 2021.<\/p>\n
By contrast, South Africa have never progressed beyond the semi-finals of the 50-overs World Cup, stymied by a combination of bad luck and nerves.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think what helps us is we\u2019ve got a lot of guys that have been in this situation before, that have won the one-day World Cup, T20 World Cup, various other tournaments in big moments,\u201d Cummins said ahead of Thursday\u2019s match at Eden Gardens.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe feel lucky that we\u2019ve been in these situations quite a bit, a lot of our players.<\/p>\n
\u201cHard to speak on their behalf but I do know each World Cup it does seem to be the story that South Africa haven\u2019t quite achieved what they set out to do.\u201d<\/p>\n
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Australia are set to welcome back Glenn Maxwell for their semi-final against South Africa <\/p>\n
After defeats by hosts India and South Africa to start the tournament, Cummins was pleased with how his team have peaked at the right time.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think we\u2019ve come a long way since the start of the tournament,\u201d the pace bowler said. \u201cWe got better as a team since then.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe are a bit more aggressive with our batting, we are taking the game on a bit more. With the bowling, I think we\u2019ve just got better and better in all phases.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019ve obviously played a lot of cricket over the last month and it just feels like everyone knows their role and it\u2019s starting to click.\u201d<\/p>\n
Australia will welcome back fit-again all-rounder Glenn Maxwell but Cummins did not reveal whether it would be all-rounder Marcus Stoinis or batter Marnus Labuschagne sitting out.<\/p>\n
Asked if he might like to turn up the heat on South Africa by reminding them of their World Cup choker\u2019s tag, Cummins cracked a mischievous smile and said, \u201cYou already have.\u201d<\/p>\n