Cricket is a game that is full of stories of skill, strategy and sometimes – heartbreak. One of the most painful stories in cricket history is South Africa’s defeat in the semi-finals of the 1992 World Cup. This defeat was not due to their poor performance, but due to a bad math that gave them an impossible target of 22 runs in 1 ball.
Background: South Africa’s return
After decades of absence from the international game, South Africa were re-admitted into international cricket in 1991. Their return was spectacular. Led by a calm and sensible captain, Kepler Wessels, they soon proved that they were not just there to play, but to win.
At the 1992 World Cup in Australia and New Zealand, South Africa impressed everyone with their dynamic and balanced team. They made it to the semi-finals against England, which was played at the Sydney Cricket Ground – a match that became one of the most controversial matches in cricket history.
The match: An exciting semi-final
England batted first and scored a strong score of 252/6 in 45 overs. South Africa made a strong start in response. Innings of Peter Kirsten and Jonty Rhodes kept the team in the match.
With 13 balls remaining, South Africa needed 22 runs to win. This target was not difficult. There was enthusiasm among both the spectators and the players.
And then… it started raining.
The moment that shattered my dream
The rain stopped after a while and the game resumed. But as soon as the new target appeared on the scoreboard, everyone was surprised:
“22 runs needed in 1 ball”
What happened after all?
In fact, an old and chaotic rain rule was implemented at that time. In this, if the overs were reduced, then the target was adjusted by cutting the over with the least runs of the team.
The result was that South Africa were put in a situation that would become a joke in cricket history — 22 runs in 1 ball!
The result was not defeat, but loot
The players and the spectators were stunned. This was not a defeat, it was a kind of defeat of justice. Brian McMillan played the last ball only as a formality.
England won, but cricket lost.
The incident led to massive criticism and eventually the archaic rule was replaced by the Duckworth-Lewis rule, which is still used today for rain-affected matches.
legacy of pain
This was not South Africa’s first or last painful defeat, but perhaps the most helpless. They neither lost nor panicked – they simply did not have a chance. It was not a “choke”, it was a system error.
Even today when someone says:
“22 runs in 1 ball”
So that’s not a statistic, it’s an incomplete story.
Conclusion: A rainy tragedy
Cricket is a game of uncertainties, but in 1992 this uncertainty turned into injustice. South Africa’s hopes were dashed by a rule error.
This story isn’t just about South Africa — it’s about every cricket fan who believes the game should be played on the field, not decided by a calculative error.