World Cup 2015 New Zealand v/s South Africa: Recapping New Zealand's own semifinal problem down the years

South Africa have been vilified as 'chokers' - a team which is really good in general but always fails to win knockout games, especially at World Cups. South Africa have beaten Sri Lanka in this year's World Cup quarterfinal though, and head to the semifinals against New Zealand with confidence. But if you were to ask who'd lose Tuesday's semifinal, the more common answer would be South Africa - because they could still 'choke'. After all, one win doesn't change everything.

However, New Zealand themselves have a major problem in World Cup semifinals. Historically, they have appeared in six semifinals and lost all six.

New Zealand first made the semifinals in the very first World Cup - 1975. They made the semifinals again in 1979 and then in 1992, 1999, 2007 and 2011. Every time, the result was the same - a loss.

1975 - Lost to West Indies by 5 wickets: This was perhaps the most low profile semifinal New Zealand have played. The Windies team were just starting out on their glory days, and New Zealand weren't exactly a world-beating side. Yet, it was the less-hailed Bernard Julien who ran through the New Zealand middle order, taking 4 wickets for 27. The great Andy Roberts provided him good company, taking 2 for 18 - both dangerous, set batsmen in Glenn Turner and Geoff Howarth. NZ were bowled out for 158 and Allwin Kallicharan's 72 meant the Windies won by 5 wickets.

1979 - Lost to England by 9 runs: The 1979 semifinal was much closer, with England edging out New Zealand by 9 runs. Sent in to bat, England reached 221 thanks to a 'quick' 71 from a young Graham Gooch. Though John Wright made 69 in reply, he took 137 balls, and the rest of the New Zealand batting could not keep up with the run rate required, losing by 9 runs.

1992 - Lost to Pakistan by 4 wickets: 1992 really was New Zealand's World Cup to lose. The World Cup was at home, and NZ had won 7 out of 8 games in the league stage. In the semis, Martin Crowe smashed 91 off 83 balls from No 4, taking the Kiwis to a then-formidable 262/7 in 50 overs. In reply, Pakistan were struggling to keep up with the run rate at 134/3 when a young Inzamam came in and smashed a famous 60 off 37 balls. Moin Khan then hit 20 off 11 balls and Javed Miandad provided solid support with an unbeaten 57 to wrest near-certain victory from the Kiwis.

1999 - Lost to Pakistan by 9 wickets: Perhaps New Zealand's most comprehensive defeat in a semifinal. Electing to bat, New Zealand were restriced to 241/7 in 50 overs, with no batsman making a half-century. In fact, Pakistan bowled no less than 47 extras, which was the highest score! Saeed Anwar and Wajatullah Wasti then made a mockery of the target, scoring 194 off 40 overs before Wasti fell for 84. Ijaz Ahmed and Anwar (113) though ensured no collapse would happen, taking Pakistan home by 9 wickets.

2007 - Lost to Sri Lanka by 81 runs: New Zealand were tipped to beat Sri Lanka, despite a Jayawardene century taking Sri Lanka to 289 in 50 overs. What no one had accounted for however, was how the track would help Sri Lankan spinners. From 105/2, New Zealand collapsed to spin, reaching 149/9 before a futile yet entertaining last wicket stand saw them finish on 208. Mutthiah Muralitharan took 4/31 and Dilshan 2/22 to spin out New Zealand at Gros Islet.

2011 - Lost to Sri Lanka by 5 wickets: New Zealand would be glad the Proteas eliminated Sri Lanka this year in the quarterfinals, because they seem to developed a historical tendency to fall to Sri Lankan spin in semifinals. Sri Lanka had the gall to play 3 specialist spinners - Rangana Herath, Mutthiah Muralitharan and Ajantha Mendis - plus Dilshan - in the semifinal. The rank turner in Colombo saw spinners take 7 wickets to bowl out New Zealand for 217. Tillakaratne Dilshan and Kumar Sangakkara then scored half-centuries to help Sri Lanka win with ease in the 48th over.

Thus is it clear that New Zealand have always come up short in a semifinal. However, 'bad luck' or 'weakness against spin' might be seen as more cogent reasons for this than 'choking'. In that sense the Kiwis are different from the Proteas. This alone makes them slight favourites to win the semifinal against the Proteas on Tuesday. One spin-hating, unlucky side on a seaming, short ground against a side that 'chokes' in big games? I'd probably bet on the former.