DURBAN, March 3: South Africa were knocked out of the World Cup in the cruellest of circumstances on Monday as rain intervened to leave their final Group ‘B’ match against Sri Lanka ending in a tie under the Duckworth/Lewis scoring method.

Four years after they were eliminated from the last World Cup after a semifinal tie with Australia, the South Africans were again left cursing after putting themselves in with a good chance of beating Sri Lanka to claim a place in the Super Six.

South Africa’s misfortune allowed New Zealand to progress, the Kiwis joining Sri Lanka, Kenya, Australia and India in the Super Six.

The last place will be decided on Tuesday when Zimbabwe play Pakistan in Group ‘A’, with those two sides and England in contention to advance.

Chasing 269 for victory, South Africa captain Shaun Pollock and Mark Boucher added 63 for the sixth wicket to take their side to 212 for six. Pollock was brilliantly run out by Muttiah Muralitharan, but Lance Klusener and Boucher edged the hosts to 229 for six when persistent rain forced the players off.—Reuters