India, on the other hand, also boast an unblemished cup record but came off what, in hindsight, appears to be a self-induced rash of pre-cup losses.
The Proteas, like Australia, have tasted defeat amid widespread speculation they are somewhat mentally fragile.
The South Africans will still be uncomfortably adjusting the choker's tag today but some fans still believe Australia will prevail in Melbourne on Sunday.
Frankly the Pakistanis, especially bowler Wahab Riaz, showed in the quarterfinal how to tenderise that Aussie cockiness.
The question is: "Have teams who have lost become stronger and wiser coming into the semifinals?"
There's a school of thought that setbacks are often timely signals to revisit plans for the bigger battles.
Brendon McCullum's men will be without Adam Milne's 150km/h pace today but is this the time to tinker and tweak?
Is Milne's left-heel injury a blessing in disguise?
On a doormat-sized Eden Park, the speed merchant could have been the architect of a Proteas roadkill or, frighteningly, become fodder for someone like AB de Villiers, who has a voracious appetite for runs.
But the Central Districts bowler's absence has wider implications.
Veteran Daniel Vettori emphasised in Napier the Kiwis had no boxes to tick and it was simply a media-generated obsession.
Everyone knows what happened to left-armer Mitchell McClenaghan against Bangladesh in Hamilton as Hesson rigidly stuck to the same starting XI until then.
Did Hesson and Macca err in not injecting McClenaghan, Kyle Mills and brother Nathan McCullum during the tourney?
In fact, it is prudent to thrust Matt Henry into the starting XI as a wild card, considering he has been playing first-class and not just going through the net motions.
Frankly there's no room for sentimentalism now more than ever - Mills and Nathan McCullum can write books about it although McClenaghan has time on his side for another fling.
One player doesn't win games regardless of whether it is McCullum, De Villiers or Chris Gayle.
It's the propensity for different players to stand up in times of adversity to reflect depth and flexibility.
The funny thing is South Africa have beaten the Black Caps recently - twice to be accurate - albeit it without Kane Williamson and Ross Taylor in the fray.
One-man battle cries, such as getting out Gayle, are no longer applicable or pertinent.
South Africa will bring more than De Villiers to the park - Hashim Amla, Faf du Plessis, JP Duminy, Farhaan Behardien - in the batting department.
Spinner Imran Tahir, with Duminy backing up, will mirror Vettori and Williamson, should the latter roll up his sleeves.
Dale Steyn, Morne Morkel and Kyle Abbot (if Vernon Philander isn't fit) will match Trent Boult, Tim Southee and Corey Anderson.
Call it providence if you may, but having Philander injured earlier has forced the Proteas to bring swinger Abbott into the equation and the smart money should be on sticking with him, rather than taking a risk with the more experienced right-hander.
The impact of both teams' fifth bowler could be the difference.
Will McCullum chance Vettori to unsettle opening batsmen?
Hesson said "you'll have to find out" in Napier but conservatism will prevail.
The downside is losing the sheen on the two white balls that Boult and Southee are capable of swinging when the sun is aligned with Pluto.
The South Africans may be tempted to include Philander and Abbott but it may prove to be myopic, considering the tourney-defining games are still won and lost in the middle order.
Behardien is that symbiotic fit for Duminy, in the mould of Grant Elliott and Luke Ronchi.
Neither side has made a one-day World Cup final and it doesn't take a genius to work out whose fans will be more hostile should they lose.
Going back through the arrivals lounge of an international airport can't be too comfortable a feeling when your sports minister says: "We don't want you in the World Cup to add numbers and just become a bunch of losers."
Pressure is inevitable but it's up to a team to succumb to it.
Something as simple as dropping a dolly catch (Rahat Ali, Marlon Samuels) or ball watching rather than sliding the bat over the chalk (too many to mention) can be the difference.
Watch out for the inattentive bowler who oversteps the mark at a crucial stage on the bowling crease on the effort ball to lose the game.
All said and done, it's the time to ask: "So who's your daddy?"
Whatever the outcome, cricket fans will attest to the fact that this cup has been one hell of a marathon party.
