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Travis Head got the job done with bat and ball to help Australia edge past South Africa by three wickets and move into an eighth Cricket World Cup final, where they will play host nation India.
In what had until this point largely been a World Cup to forget for Head, he rose to the occasion for his country on Thursday evening.
And, it was with the ball where he had his greatest impact as the part-time off spinner broke a 95-run partnership between South African century-maker David Miller and Heinrich Klaasen when he clean bowled the latter.
The pair had seemed set to take the match away from Australia after coming together with the Proteas in dire trouble at 4-24.
But Head entered the fray and Klaasen played all around the delivery before it removed his leg stump from the ground.
Head later confessed he was stunned to get the dangerous Klaasen out with a straight one.
"Seeing the wicket, I was prepared to bowl a few overs ... I am always keen to have a bowl and contribute," Head said.
"[That was] straight as they come.
"He is an unbelievable player, he smacked me around in South Africa so when he went four, four, I knew I was under the pump.
"I am not sure how that one got through him."
On his very next ball he trapped Marco Jansen leg before, the South African reviewed it but DRS showed it was hitting leg stump.
Head would not get his hat-trick though, as Gerald Coetzee dug out another low-spinning delivery, but the damage was done and Australia were into the South African tail.
Despite that, Miller (101) went on to make a vital century as he frequently took to leg spinner Adam Zampa (0-55), saved South Africa from an embarrassing total, and gave them a chance.
But his innings ended just after he made his ton.
The middle-order star clobbered Australia captain Pat Cummins over the boundary to bring up his century and, two balls later, he looked to repeat the dose but was caught on the rope by Head.
While the South African tail offered little resistance, Miller was forced into rescue mode after Australian spearheads Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood ripped through the top order.
Starc set things in motion by getting Proteas skipper Temba Bavuma for a duck, before Cummins took a great catch off the bowling of Hazlewood to remove dangerman Quinton de Kock.
Hazlewood claimed 2-12 from eight overs and Mitchell Starc 3-34 from 10.
Hazlewood, in particular, was impressive, sending down three maidens and bowling 39 dots in 48 balls.
So good was his return, it marked the most economical figures of any Australian bowling eight overs or more since Nathan Bracken in 2006.
And when Cummins (3-51) removed Kagiso Rabada, South Africa were all out for 212.
Bavuma lamented the opportunity South Africa cost themselves early on.
"The way we started with the bat and ball was the turning point, we always had to play catch-up," he said.
"From 24-4, it was always going to be hard to get a competitive total."
Based on some of the mammoth totals this World Cup, the chase seemed academic, especially when David Warner and Head got Australia off to a flying start to be 0-60 after six overs.
But then things got complicated.
The reasons? Poor shot selection, a classic catch from Rassie van der Dussen and some excellent spin bowling from Tabraiz Shamsi and Keshav Maharaj.
By the end of the eighth over they were 2-62 after Warner went for 29, clean bowled by Aiden Markram. It was not a good shot.
Mitch Marsh would follow him in the next over for a duck as van der Dussen dived up and out full length to his right and took an absolute screamer.
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South Africa had life and hope.
Head, though, was not deterred.
His flashy shot making never changed as he went after the Proteas' attack, even if he was determined to take all of his chances.,
He had two.
First when on 40 he lashed one to the outfield and a diving Beusan Hendricks could not hold the catch.
The next ball, he gave Coetzee a half chance as he hammered one in the air back past the quick that raced to the boundary for four.
Then Klaasen gave him another life on 52 as he dropped a difficult edge at slip off Shamsi as the ball rose at him high and fast.
Shamsi, though, eventually got his man, bowling Head for 62.
It was the beginning of a steady decline with Australia at 3-106.
Marnus Labuschagne joined Steve Smith at the crease as the pair looked to steadily guide Australia to victory as they have so many times before but neither looked comfortable.
Shamsi thought he had Labuschagne for 9, but the umpire gave it not out. South Africa reviewed and the DRS showed the impact was umpire's call.
The next Shamsi over the reverse was true, the Aussie reviewed and umpire's call decision and this time he lucked out as replays showed the ball clipping leg stump.
Enter Glenn Maxwell, but there would be no big show for the hero against Afghanistan. He was gone for one after five balls as he swiped at a Shamsi delivery only to hear a death rattle.
Smith it seemed would steer the Aussies home before he too played a rash shot, off Coetzee. De Kock took the catch off a high ball.
That left Australia needing 39 runs with four wickets in hand and it looked like Josh Inglis would get them there before Coetzee removed his stumps.
Enter Cummins, who was dropped by de Kock, before he survived alongside Starc to guide Australia to a nervous but thrilling victory.
Recap the blow-by-blow with our live blog.
Key events
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Live updates
We'll wrap things up now
Thanks so much for joining us.
I hope you'll be as good to join us again on Sunday night when Australia takes on the awesome challenge of India in Ahmedabad in front of 130,000 frenzied supporters.
That was an incredibly tight and tense match, far closer than we thought it would be during the rain delay when South Africa was 4-40 and limping along under the lights at Eden Gardens.
At that stage it looked like this semifinal would be turning into a nightmare for South Africa.
And, although that was how it ended up, it still proved to be a paradise for those of us that love tight cricket matches.
Let's hope for just as much excitement on Sunday, shall we?
From me Simon Smale, good night and see you Sunday from 6:00pm AEDT.
Pat Cummins thrilled with victory
The Ashes, earlier this World Cup and now a semifinal - keading Australia home in a tight chase is becoming second nature to captain Pat these days.
"It's much easier than sitting in the dugout," he says.
"It's been a nerve-wracking couple of hours but great effort and a great game."
He paid credit to the whole team, but 37-year-old David Warner diving about in the field gets special praise, as does Josh Inglis's contribution with the bat and Travis Head with the ball.
He said Australia has got to embrace the pressure of being in a final.
"The stadium is going to be packed, pretty one-sided but got to embrace it.
"The 2015 World Cup … was a career highlight, so to be out there in a final in India, I can't wait."
Tevemba Bavuma is gutted
As you'd expect.
He looks and sounds crushed by the defeat.
Had you spoken to him half an hour after he had got out for a duck, followed quite quickly by three of his top order teammates, I imagine he was ready for defeat.
But given how hard South Africa fought, it must be hard to come to terms with.
"Quite hard to put it into words," he says.
"Congratulations to Australia. I thought they were outstanding for long periods today.
"Our character came through. We showed the resilience we talk about and a bit of dog fight.
"The way we started with the bat and ball was the turning point, we always had to play catch-up.
"From 24-4, it was always going to be hard to get a competitive total."
T'was a bit tense wasn't it...
What a finish….
- Steph in Melbourne
Travis Head is player of the match
And why not?
He took 2-21 with the ball, a brilliant 62 from 48 at the top of the order in that brilliant and rapid 37-ball, 60-run partnership with David Warner.
"It's quite hard to unpack all of that," he says.
"Tense finish, amazing game.
"We knew how it [the surface] was going to play. We haven't seen much spin but we knew it was going to be a grind.
"Seeing the wicket, I was prepared to bowl a few overs, I'm always keen."
He says that given he broke his hand in the build up, he wasn't sure whether he would even be at the World Cup and is thrilled to be playing in the final.
"I never dreamed of being in a World Cup final against the best team of the competition so far."
Key Event
Australia through to an eighth Cricket World Cup final
Australia will play India in the final on Sunday in Ahmedabad.
The only other time these two teams met in the decider was 2003, when Australia came out on top by 125 runs at the Wanderers.
Key Event
Australia wins by three wickets!
Pat Cummins hits the winning runs and Australia get over the line, barely, against a brave South African side who looked like they were gone after a shocking start to the match.
The 22-run partnership at the end gets the plaudits, but Travis Head's 66 off 48 balls at the top of the order did the real job, breaking the back of a small but incredibly tricky chase.
Quinton de Kock is bumped into by the camera and told it to go away ( those were not the words that were used) but there is plenty of respect between the two sets of combatants out on the field.
48th over - Jansen continues
No other real options for South Africa other than Jansen.
Cummins defends solidly, riding the bounce.
FOUR!
47th over - Markram continues
Back to the bowler, no run scored.
Cummins defends solidly, Markram tossed that one up and Cummins did not take the bait.
Now he clips to long on for a single, playing the ball right between two close fielders.
Australia needs 2 runs to win
Starc fends a quicker ball to cover for no run.
Turning away, Starc finds the fielder at cover. No run.
CLOSE! Big swing from Starc and the ball misses bat by an inch and the stumps by just a fraction more!
So close.
DO NOT MOVE
I need to pee but I am NOT getting up
- Sean
46th over - Jansen comes back into the attack
He's not bowled since the fifth over of the innings - and was expensive at 0-27 from three overs.
Outside off, left alone.
Wide outside off, a bouncer, not called a wide but it would have had to be close.
There's a bouncer, a better one, but that's the two for the over and the umpires tell Jansen that.
FOUR! Brilliant from Starc! He waited for the fuller ball and punched it through midwicket for a boundary.
Australia needs 3 to win
Starc clips to midwicket but finds the man waiting there.
Good yorker to end the over.
But Australia is on the cusp.
45th over - Markram continues
Cummins defends.
EDGED! DROPPED! OH NO! AN INSIDE EDGE IS DROPPED BY QUINTON DE KOCK!
Should have been taken!
It was so close to being taken on the second or even third attempt, but not quite. Wow.
Cummins dropped on 8, Bavuma and Markram both fall to the ground in despair.
Brilliant fielding at mid on saves a run or two.
Cummins fends to mid off for no run this time.
Tension.
Markram dives but can't save a single at mid on as screams an expletive that you can hear in the near silent stadium.
Australia needs 8 runs to win
Starc pushes the ball to mid on and gets a single.
AUstralia needs 7 runs to win
It's too early for this
Stresssssss!!! Not sure I need this adrenaline rush at 3:30am!
- Kim
44th over - Coetzee continues
You can cut it with a knife. Incredible drama.
One slip in place, Cummins fends to point and there is no run.
Cummins fends to point again, as Coetzee winces with that possible calf injury. No run scored though, the fielder at cover point is sharp.
Another cut to point who fields.
Driven through the air up through cover! But a single taken and the ball falls safe!
Australia needs 9 runs to win
Starc is struck on the body, a dull thud on the stump mics/
Full toss but Starc can't get the ball past mid off.
Coetzee is on his haunches, 2-49 he has from his 9 overs, a tremendous spell and he walks off with a drink, bathed in sweat.
43rd over - Markram comes in again
Solid defence from Cummins.
Down the leg side, but that's a wide, a bonus extra run.
Australia needs 11 runs to win
Solid defence back down the pitch.
CHANCE! Oh my word, that ball just popped up off the bat towards David Millar at mid wicket and it falls just short!
Incredible.
It's up in the air again and this time much straighter and much safer.
A single.
Australia needs 10 runs to win
42nd over - Coetzee steams in again
CHANCE! Cummins plays a rising ball off the very top of the bat, an inch higher and that could have gone anywhere, but as it is, it hits the sticker on the bat and falls safe.
Cummins needs a new bat! That's broken it! 150kph right on the splice will do that.
Coetzee is getting some treatment on his calf while Cummins gets a new bat.
FOUR! Cummins drives square and gets a boundary! Lovely shot, perfectly guided down backward of point.
Solid defence that time.
Fuller ball, driven away by Cummins for no run to mid off.
Cummins gets out of the way of a bouncer, good short ball and Cummins played it well.
No ball! And a single off it too! The ball was a full toss above head height. It will be a free hit too.
Starc is bowled but it was a free hit.
Australia needs 12 runs to win
41st over - Aiden Markram comes back into the attack
Full toss, Starc clips the ball to deep square leg for a single.
Cummins jams his bat down on a full ball.
Cummins has been a part of a couple of decent chases in recent months. Will this be one?
Cummins pushes away for a single to long off.
Starc defends, crouching down over the bat as he plays watchfully.
CLOSE! A very close caught and bowled chance but the ball falls short.
Oh the tension is so real now, although the jaunty music being played in the stadium feels slightly incongruous as a result.
40th over - One ball to come from Coetzee
MASSIVE APPEAL!
WAS THAT OUT!?
IT LOOKED VERY GOOD LIVE!
Only question will be if it pitched outside leg stump and it might have done just that you know.
There's no bat on it.
Oh, it's pitched a long way outside leg, great decision.
South Africa has lost its review - they have no more remaining.
Australia needs 20 from 60 balls
Key Event
BOWLED HIM! INGLIS IS OUT!
What a ball!
A yorker from Coetzee, it is absolutely perfect!
The ball catches the very bottom of the bat and then pops up and hits the top of off stump.
Heartbreak for Inglis, who has been brilliant in scoring 28 off 49.
Australia are 7-193.
40th over - Coetzee will bow his seventh over
Starc gets a couple as he fends to square leg, another fast ball from Coetzee.
Starc will get a single to square leg to bring the required total down to 20.
A bouncer, a decent one, Inglis ducks under it.
Inglis fends the ball into square leg, a rising short ball, but it falls safe.
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