Finalists reckon with history after divergent paths to decider

The World Cup's two standout teams have had divergent paths to the final but South Africa and India face identical tasks in their legacy-defining contest in Barbados – overcome their crippling reputations as big-game flops.

A month-long ICC event held across seven countries and two continents, and characterised by low-scoring matches, unpredictable pitches and logistical headaches, has nonetheless produced the two worthiest sides for its deciding game, both of whom are undefeated through eight matches. 

While the journeys of India and South to Kensington Oval have differed significantly, both in regards to how convincing their wins have been and the convenience of their respective schedules, each will need to overcome a weight of history on Saturday morning (Sunday 12.30am AEST).

Despite consistently being one of international cricket's fiercest competitors, the Proteas are playing in their maiden final of a major men's ICC event after ending a run of seven previous semi-final eliminations when they overcame Afghanistan in Trinidad. 

Their 'chokers' tag, born out of their 1999 Edgbaston heartbreak at the hands of Australia, has been difficult to shed. Eight of the XI expected to face India were on the field when Pat Cummins hit the winning runs to seal a tense three-wicket win in Kolkata in November last year, the latest chapter in their story as world cricket’s nearly men.

Among them was T20 skipper Aiden Markram, who recalls watching the equally crushing semi-final defeat in 2015 when Grant Elliot sunk South Africa with a six off Dale Steyn on the penultimate ball of the match.

"That one was probably the most gut-wrenching for me as a cricket fan back then. I remember that one pretty clearly," said Markram, captain of the 2014 U19 World Cup-winning team that gave South Africa just their second piece of ICC silverware (men’s or women’s) after the 1998 Champions Trophy.

Markram was walking the tightrope of recognising how their current position has generated significant emotion, particularly among past players and teammates, with emphasising how a sense of unfinished business burns within his charges.

"We were obviously a happy bunch the other night after qualifying for the final," he said.

"I'm sure all teams do it, but straight after that game in the changing room, you still reflect and you say, ‘Guys, we've still got one more step to go’. The whole unit sort of feels that and is driven by that.

"As general, sportsmen are highly competitive people and nobody would want to lose, and especially not lose in a final. I think there's no sense that the guys are satisfied regardless of the result tomorrow.

"I think there's a really strong will to win. I don't think it's on the level of desperation but it's an extreme hunger to win games of cricket and we haven't achieved ideally on the world stage what we would have liked to.

"I think that gets the juices going a bit for the boys to finally achieve it."

For India, there's been little acknowledgement that history may have any bearing on a wonderfully skilled squad that have bossed the competition in a variety of different conditions.

But of their playing group only Virat Kohli, the megastar batter whose dismal form in this tournament has been a bubbling source of bewilderment for his team’s fans, has previously tasted World Cup glory.

The then 22-year-old was the youngest member of their winning ODI team at home in 2011.

India's record in consequential matches from that point on is arguably even more damning than South Africa's, having made the final four in six of their previous eight men's World Cups since and failing to lift the trophy once.

Australia were responsible for their most recent and most notable failure when they were comprehensively accounted for in Ahmedabad last year having not even come close to losing in the tournament until then.

But outgoing coach Rahul Dravid put the haunting defeat down to simply being outplayed on the day, while also denying history could have any impact on their upcoming opponents.

"I thought we were very well prepared in that final as well, we were very well prepared in Ahmedabad," said Dravid ahead of his last game in the role before he makes way after a three-year tenure.

"We've ticked all the boxes and on the day the other team played better. The other team reached the final because they're a good team and playing very good cricket as well. They had as much right to win it as we did. We hope we'll play better cricket on the day (against South Africa)."

"I don't think (South Africa's history) really matters. I can't speak for them but I don't think players keep the baggage of the past. Every day is a fresh day, players are very good at moving on from things.

"Just as people move on from Ahmedabad they won't be thinking about history. It will be a fresh day, two good teams, two teams I think everyone would agree are the top two teams in this tournament, played the best cricket in this tournament."

Dravid was speaking in the aftermath of his side's dismantling of England in Guyana, where India knew well in advance where their semi-final would be held if they qualified – a provision not extended to any of the tournament's other 19 competitors.

Their rails-run journey through the World Cup also went as far as India captain Rohit Sharma, unlike his opposite number Markram, not being compelled to complete a customary match-eve press conference at the ground.

That was despite the 37-year-old, who has found a rich vein of form with clutch innings in their last two games including a devastating 92 against the Aussies in St Lucia, being among a small group of Indians who inspected the pitch prepared for the final on Friday morning.

A sunset photo with Markram and the trophy was expected to be Rohit's only major pre-game obligation a day after their charter flight whisked them from Georgetown to Bridgetown immediately following their semi-final win.

The Proteas on the other hand endured virtually a full day in transit on Thursday after their flight from Port of Spain was stopped from taking off because Barbados' Grantley Adams Airport was closed for several hours by aviation and police authorities to carry out inspections on a small plane that had a landing gear malfunction on the runway.

Their seven-hour delay, spent with a host of tournament officials, broadcasters and journalists who were also taking the flight, came after they spent an entire night in a Florida airport during the group stage earlier this month.

"We’ve had a couple," a smirking Markram said of the team's logistical challenges. "I suppose a lot of other teams have gone through similar things. And we joke about it as a team and say, ‘We're kind of used to it now’.

"It's just been part of this tournament. You've just got to crack on with things. There's no point sulking around and making it more miserable than what it might already seem to be.

"So, it was a slightly longer day yesterday – I think a lot of you guys are with us – but it was one of those where you just bite the bullet.

"You get there a bit later, you have some food, and you rest your head and wake up today with a really positive attitude about the next couple of days that lie ahead."

On the strength of recent results, India should go into the decider as heavy favourites.

Aside from a tight six-run win over rivals Pakistan in New York, Rohit's men have not come close to losing having recorded winning margins of 47 runs, 50 runs, 24 runs and 68 runs when batting first and seven- and eight-wicket victories after bowling.

The Proteas on the other hand registered their most convincing win over the Afghans this week but have otherwise prevailed in a sequence of close encounters. Three of their batting-first victories were by single digits (one run separated them and Nepal, four with Bangladesh, seven with England) while coming up trumps in four- and three-wicket victories over the Netherlands and the Windies respectively

Markram believes those fine margins hold his team in good stead.

"I think you've seen it in the close results, probably not have played some of our best cricket in certain games, but that will to win sort of drives you to, by hook or by crook, get the job done," said Markram.

"So that's probably one thing that's really stood out for me in this group.

"You win those close games and you take a lot of belief moving forward that from any position you feel like you can still win the game."