One of the powerhouse teams of the ICC World T20 has qualified for the Super 8. The first one to do it and that team is South Africa. The power-packed team led by Aiden Markram following their 4-run win over Bangladesh has made it through to the next stage of the competition.
This outcome was somewhat expected. Grouped teams like Bangladesh, who despite showing some promise in recent times have not been world beaters; then we have Sri Lanka, who have been having a torrid run in ICC tournaments with an abysmal record against South Africa. So getting past them was virtually a given.
The trouble for South Africa in this competition, as it always has been, is their tendency to slip up. Particularly in games where they are expected to win. That is certainly something for the South African think tank to think about. But for now, it is time to prepare for the next stage of the competition.
South Africa’s Joinery to the Super 8 – Not Smooth Sailing
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Given what has transpired in the 3 games that South Africa has played, the claim to be tournament favorites is not forthcoming. Despite winning their first 3 games, what has been lacking from the Proteas is conviction. In big tournaments one expects the top teams to blow away their opposition and stamp their mark. This has not happened.
In the games against Bangladesh and the Netherlands, South Africa struggled for much of the game. And barely scrapped past the South Asian team who put up a stiff resistance. And the win against the Dutch came down to heroics from David Miller. For South Africa to click as a unit, the team needs to pull together a unifying performance that sends a clear signal to the major teams like Australia. This is yet to happen.
South Africa’s in the Super 8 – Will They Choke Again
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No one will discount the talent and ability of this South African side. In fact, at the start of the tournament pundits were putting the Proteas batting unit as one of the, if not the strongest in the tournament. With explosive batsman throughout, this is a team that can challenge any target or pose a massive score on their day. The trouble of course is, will they?
The South Africans in their cricketing history, especially when it comes to ICC tournaments have been known to make careless mistakes to monumental slip-ups that have cost them entire tournaments. That horrific runout in the 1999 World Cup semifinal still haunts South African cricket to this day. The question is, when the team enters the crunch end of the tournament can they rise to the challenge?
Fingers Crossed for the Super 8
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One of the things that has worked against the South African side has been the playing conditions. The three games the Proteas have played so far have all been in New York. And the pitch has already built up a reputation for not being the most batsman-friendly. This has had a dual effect: in that it has not allowed the South African batsman to experience their natural game, whilst affecting their confidence when playing in better batting conditions against stronger opposition.
This point needs to be looked at critically by the South African think tank. Their batsman badly needs some good time out on suitable batting conditions. Especially when it is time to chase or put up big scores in crunch games.
