That's not choking, that's Suicide!

Alas, South Africa have done it again - snatched defeat from the jaws of victory. Pundits from every single vocation pursued by mankind relish in rambling about the mind and its toughness. Personally, I find such ramblings too overbearing and presumptuous in a "I told you so" kind of way.

However, now that we have witnessed two run chases within 24 hours, its very apparent that the mind is indeed where contests are won... and lost! Yesterday, India, as a whole showed better temperament and especially Yuvraj and Raina showed exemplary mental toughness. South Africa should have seen that match and taken inspiration from it rather than watching their own performances in knock out games.

Honestly, I am shocked, so I am not sure how to censure South Africa. They were my favorites to go all the way (like many million cricket fans) but with every claim of South Africa being favorites, I always had that unsaid rider about their tendency to c***e (That is now officially a swear word in South Africa)

Many will say the Kiwis were brilliant and had more than their fair share of luck. The Amla dismissal was freakish. The Kallis catch was surreal and the overall fielding was other-worldly. The attacking captaincy was inspired but then such things always happen in crunch games. New Zealand did everything a side defending a modest total would do. South Africa just had to do everything a professional team chasing a modest total would do - go about it in their well-drilled, methodical and metronomic manner. Yet, somehow, they let their minds interfere with the chase.

I still can't believe South Africa lost. It is with this sense of disbelief that I sign off on South Africa until the time comes when they have some bloody minded men to go with the bunch of super-skilled boys that they have right now.