South Africa captain AB de Villiers threw the tag of "chokers" back in the face of the team's critics following their World Cup quarter-final rout of Sri Lanka on Wednesday.

The Proteas were in dominant form, triumphing by nine wickets at the Sydney Cricket Ground as they finally won a World Cup knockout match at the sixth time of asking.

‘I think we liked being called chokers, so we'll just keep that tag and move along as long as we keep winning, said de Villiers.

‘We didn't come all this way just to make it to the semi-finals,’ added the skipper, not required to bat on Wednesday after making a stunning 162 not out against the West Indies on his last SCG appearance during the pool stage.

South Africa's victory over Sri Lanka was all but assured after they dismissed the 1996 champions and runners-up at the last two World Cups for just 133.

De Villiers lost the toss but, following good work by the Proteas' pacemen, leg-spinner Imran Tahir took four for 26 and off-spinner JP Duminy's haul of three for 29 included a hat-trick.

South Africa now face a semi-final in Auckland on 24 March  against the winners of this Saturday's match between New Zealand and the West Indies.