<P> The first semi-final was played between Australia and Sri Lanka on 18 March at St. George 's Park , Port Elizabeth . Australia won the toss and opted to bat first . They managed 212 runs for the loss of 7 wickets at the end of 50 overs . Symonds top - scored for the team with 91 not out , while Chaminda Vaas picked up three wickets for Sri Lanka . With 213 runs needed for victory , Sri Lanka lost both the openers after which the play was interrupted by rain . The target was revised to 172 runs from 38.1 overs using the Duckworth -- Lewis method , a mathematical formulation used to calculate revised targets for teams batting second in case of matches being interrupted by bad weather or rain . Kumar Sangakkara and Vaas made 47 runs together for the eighth wicket , the highest partnership of the innings , but the team managed to score only 123 runs in the allotted overs . Australia progressed into the final as Sri Lanka fell 48 runs short of the target . </P>
<P> The first semi-final was played between Australia and Sri Lanka on 18 March at St. George 's Park , Port Elizabeth . Australia won the toss and opted to bat first . They managed 212 runs for the loss of 7 wickets at the end of 50 overs . Symonds top - scored for the team with 91 not out , while Chaminda Vaas picked up three wickets for Sri Lanka . With 213 runs needed for victory , Sri Lanka lost both the openers after which the play was interrupted by rain . The target was revised to 172 runs from 38.1 overs using the Duckworth -- Lewis method , a mathematical formulation used to calculate revised targets for teams batting second in case of matches being interrupted by bad weather or rain . Kumar Sangakkara and Vaas made 47 runs together for the eighth wicket , the highest partnership of the innings , but the team managed to score only 123 runs in the allotted overs . Australia progressed into the final as Sri Lanka fell 48 runs short of the target . </P>
whom did australia beat to reach the finals of the 2003 world cup
whom did australia beat to reach the finals of the 2003 world cup
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka