The Proteas are at another World Cup, will it be different this time?
The Proteas enter the T20 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka with renewed hope, bolstered by recent T20 series victories and standout performances in the SA20, but face tough competition from favourites India and Australia. Picture: AFP
Image: AFP
It’s the hope that kills you. Once again, this might be the case as the Proteas begin yet another World Cup campaign.
The T20 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka on Saturday, and South Africa will play their first Group D match on Monday against Canada.
South Africa, of course, made it to the final of the previous T20 World Cup, falling to India by seven runs in the final.
Another reason to believe that South Africa can finally win a limited-overs World Cup is that they won the ICC World Test Championship last year.
South Africa’s Recent T20 Success: A Boost for World Cup Hopes?
While the players might tell you that victory would go a long way in building their belief that they can win a limited-overs trophy, I’m a bit more cynical.
Given Test cricket is so far removed from T20 cricket, I don’t see how it will help at all.
Then there’s the fact that South Africa enter the tournament ranked fifth in the world. India are the favourites as co-hosts, with Australia also expected to have a good shot at the title.
However, as always, the Proteas seem to have found form just before the tournament. They were convincing winners in their three-match T20 series as they ran out 2-1 victors.
Proteas Shine in Windies T20s and SA20: Quinton de Kock Leads with Record-Breaking Innings
In the second T20 in particular, the Proteas were extremely impressive. They chased a mammoth 222 to win with 15 balls to spare. The win included a masterful innings of 115 off just 49 balls from Quinton de Kock, who recently reversed his international retirement.
Many of the Proteas players have also found great form in the SA20, like Dewald Brevis and Ryan Rickelton, who ended the competition in second and third respectively in the run-scoring charts.
Who ended the SA20 as the leading run-scorer, though? De Kock, of course. Skipper Aiden Markram was also in the top five.
In the bowling charts, Anrich Nortje took the second most wickets, and allrounder Corbin Bosch was fourth. Fellow Proteas allrounder Marco Jansen was sixth.
There are indeed a number of encouraging signs for the Proteas this time around, but whether that will translate to silverware— I’m not so sure.
* The views expressed are not necessarily the views of IOL or Independent Media.
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