South Africa Cricket Schedule 2023 Cricket World Cup—The Complete Guide.
Can South Africa conquer the World Cup? How does their schedule look? We will answer all of your questions.
Let’s dive in.
Key Takeaways
South Africa begin their opening match against Sri Lanka on October 7, 2023 and play their last group stage match against Afghanistan on November 10, 2023.
The high stakes South Africa vs New Zealand match is scheduled on November 1, 2023 at in Pune.
All of South Africa’s matches are Day-Night affairs, scheduled to begin at 2 PM local time.
South Africa Cricket Schedule 2023 Cricket World Cup: List of South Africa’s World Cup Fixtures
1. South Africa vs. Sri Lanka – Oct 7, 2023
SA vs SL 2023 ODI World Cup Details
Venue: Delhi
Stadium: Arun Jaitley Stadium
Time: 2:00 PM Local (8:30 AM GMT)
SA vs SL 2023 Preview
South Africa’s opening match is against Sri Lanka, a team that has had a series of ups and downs in recent times. Both teams will be looking to start on a winning note to set a positive tone for the rest of the tournament.
2. South Africa vs. Australia – Oct 12, 2023
SA vs Aus 2023 ODI World Cup Details
Venue: Lucknow
Stadium: Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium
Time: 2:00 PM Local (8:30 AM GMT)
SA vs Aus 2023 Preview
Rematch of the recent SA-Aus bilateral series. Both teams will have seen each other a lot recently. At Lucknow, it will be a battle of spin. With QDK, Markram, and Klaasen on their side, I am giving this one to the Proteas.
Stadium: Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium
Time: 2:00 PM Local (8:30 AM GMT)
SA vs Neth 2023 Preview
South Africa will face Netherlands in their third match. Despite Netherlands being a team of lesser experience, South Africa cannot afford to take them lightly and will need to bring their top performance to secure victory.
4. South Africa vs. England – Oct 21, 2023
SA vs Eng 2023 ODI World Cup Details
Venue: Mumbai
Stadium: Wankhede Stadium
Time: 2:00 PM Local (8:30 AM GMT)
SA vs Eng 2023 Preview
In Mumbai, the chasing team usually wins. Expect this to be a high scorer. Long time IPL franchise for Quinton de Kock, can he bring them home? Also, watch out for Jos Buttler from the opposition. He loves to play in Mumbai.
South Africa meets Pakistan next, a team that can be highly competitive on their day. It will be a closely contested match, and South Africa will need to play at their best to secure a win.
South Africa-New Zealand has been an underrated World Cup rivalry i over the past couple of decades. Expect this one to be just as close.
8. South Africa vs. India – Nov 5, 2023
SA vs Ind 2023 ODI World Cup Details
Venue: Kolkata
Stadium: Eden Gardens
Time: 2:00 PM Local (8:30 AM GMT)
SA vs Ind 2023 Preview
South Africa’s penultimate group-stage match is against India, one of the tournament favorites. South Africa will need to bring their best form to this match to ensure a strong finish to the group stages.
9. South Africa vs. Afghanistan – Nov 10, 2023
SA vs Afg 2023 ODI World Cup Details
Venue: Ahmedabad
Stadium: Narendra Modi Stadium
Time: 2:00 PM Local (8:30 AM GMT)
SA vs Afg 2023 Preview
Despite being expected to win, South Africa should not underestimate Afghanistan.
Final Thoughts
If South Africa play to their potential, they have a good chance of making it to the knockout stages.
England & Australia are South Africa’s big name opponents in the first few games. If they can defeat these two, they will definitely be favorites to go through the semis.
They have an excellent squad but as shown against Australia in T20s, they can fall apart easily as well.
What do you all think?
If you like this content on the 2023 ODI ircket World Cup fixtures, check these out as well:
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) – South Africa Cricket Schedule 2023 Cricket World Cup
Who are the key players for South Africa in the ODI World Cup 2023?
Key players to watch out for from the South African side are Quinton de Kock with his aggressive batting style and the duo of Anrich Nortje & Kagiso Rabada with his penetrating bowling. These players could heavily influence South Africa’s performance in the tournament. Klaasen has been in top notch form recently as well.
What are the challenges for South Africa in the group stages of the ODI World Cup 2023?
South Africa will be up against a number of strong teams in the group stages, which includes Pakistan, India, and Australia. These matches will test South Africa’s adaptability and consistency throughout the tournament. How they play spin and bowl spin will determine how far they go.
What should be South Africa’s strategy for the ODI World Cup 2023?
South Africa should focus on capitalizing on their strong fields, such as their fast bowling and aggressive batting. Further, they need to demonstrate consistency in their performance and strategic adaptability against each opponent. Going hard early with Markram, QDK, and Klaasen will be key.
Time for the 2023 Cricket World Cup South Africa Squad edition.
South Africa have released their squads for the series against Australia. Although this is not the official World Cup squad, it gives us a glimpse into their preliminary squad (especially since World Cup is only two months away now).
Let’s jump right in.
Key Takeaways from South Africa’s ODI Squad Announcement
The average age of South Africa’s 2023 Cricket World Cup squad is 29.9. South Africa is going with a healthy mix of youth and experience. They have youngsters Coetzee (23) & Jansen (23) as well as experience international players like Miller, Rabada, Quinton de Kock, Markram, Parnell, and Shamsi.
The 15-member South Africa’s preliminary World Cup squad has average ODI match experience of 55 ODIs (823 among 15 players). David Miller (160), Quinton de Kock (145) & Kagiso Rabada (92) are their most experienced players, while the likes of Dewald Brevis have yet to debut in international cricket.
South Africa’s squad composition is as follows: 7 proper batters (with one part-time bowling option), 2 all-rounders, and 6 proper bowling options. In total, South Africa has 9 bowling options (1 off spin, 1 left arm pace, 2 left arm spin, and 5 right arm pace) in their squad if absolutely needed.
South Africa have 2 left-handed batting options (QDK, Miller) and two wicketkeeping options.
Keshav Maharaj suffered from Achilles injury earlier this year but is fit for the World Cup. Anrich Nortje, Wayne Parnell, and Sisanda Magala have all been ruled out due to injuries.
10 South African Players Who Were Unlucky to Miss Out
Anrich Nortje, Sisanda Magala, Wayne Parnell, Tristan Stubbs, Dewald Brevis, Bjorn Fortuin, Janneman Malan, Donovan Ferreira, Faf du Plessis, George Linde
3 Surprise Picks for South Africa’s World Cup Squad
I have a good feeling about South Africa’s squad this time around, do you?
Klaasen, Markram, Rassie, & Nortje are in their form of their lives, Miller-Rabada-Quinton de Kock-Shamsi are some of the best cricketers going around, and the exciting youth talent of Brevis-Stubbs-Jansen-Coetzee is just the cherry on top.
Can they keep their cool and finallly lift the World Cup trophy?
Only time will tell. But in the mean time, I would love to know what your thoughts are on this. Comment Below with a ‘Yes’ if you think they can win the world or ‘No’ if you think they cannot.
Related ODI World Cup Articles
If you liked this article, be sure to check some of the other World Cup content:
What is the average age of South Africa’s 2023 Cricket World Cup squad?
South Africa’s 2023 Cricket World Cup squad average age is 31.8 years. South Africa is going with a healthy mix of youth and experience. They have youngsters like Brevis (20), Coetzee (22), Stubbs (23), Jansen (23) as well as experience international players like Miller, Rabada, Quinton de Kock, Markram, Parnell, and Shamsi.
Who is selected for South Africa’s 2023 Cricket World Cup squad?
Quinton de Kock (WK), Reeza Hendricks, Temba Bavuma (C), Aiden Markram, Rassie van der Dussen, David Miller, Heinrich Klaasen, Marco Jansen, Kagiso Rabada, Anrich Nortje, Tabraiz Shamsi, Bjorn Fortuin, Sisanda Magalaa, Gerald Coetzee, Wayne Parnell, Tristan Stubbs, Dewald Brevis, and Lungi Ngidi are selected for South Africa’s preliminary ODI World Cup squad 2023.
SA20 Auction gathered lots of attention around the world.
This was not like South Africa’s earlier failed attempts to a T20 league. Graeme Smith is at the head of the organization (league commissioner), the IPL groups own all the franchises, and there was even an auction in this one. This was actually quite an enthralling event to witness.
Big Takeaways & Highlights from SA20 Auction
Sri Lankan (most) players go unsold despite a stellar Asia Cup performance
MI Cape Town stay true to their franchise and get as many as six uncapped South African players
This was a proper T20 league auction. Not one where home grown players’ reputation was kept in thought. T20 captain Temba Bavuma, Test captain Dean Elgar, and Andile Phehlukwayo were all unsold.
Tristan Stubb’s profile skyrockets. From an injury replacement at Mumbai Indians to $519,000 price at the SA20 auction.
Just like the IPL, the auction propelled a few relatively unknown names in the bags of riches. In this case, it was Donavon Ferreira at $311,000.
Prior to the auction, each franchise could acquire the services of maximum five players – 1 South African (capped), 1 uncapped, and three overseas players.
MI Cape Town (owned by Mumbai Indians group): Kagiso Rabada, Rashid Khan, Sam Curran, Dewald Brevis (uncapped)
Durban Super Giants (owned by Lucknow Super Giants group): Quinton de Kock, Jason Holder, Kyle Mayers, Reece Topley, Prenelan Subrayen (uncapped)
Base price -175,000 Rands ($10,000): Chris Wood, Duanne Olivier, Daryn Dupavillon
SA20 Auction Round 10 – The Nexxt
This was an express round for uncapped players.
Players
International Team
Franchise
Price Sold (South African Rands)
US Dollar Conversion
Jordan Cox
*Uncapped English player
Sunrisers Eastern Cape
R. 325,000
$18,000
Dilshan Madushanka
Sri Lanka
Durban Super Giants
R. 275,000
$c
List of Unsold Players in Round 9
Base price -175,000 Rands ($10,000): Andile Simelane, Tiaan van Vuuren, Jonathan Bird, Caleb Seleka, Matthew Boast, Bryce Parsons, Dunith Wellalage
SA20 Auction Round 11 – The eXXpress Auction
Players
International Team
Franchise
Price Sold (South African Rands)
US Dollar Conversion
Johnson Charles
West Indies
Durban Super Giants
R. 425,000
$24,000
Adam Rossington
*Uncapped English
Sunrisers Eastern Cape
R. 425,000
$24,000
Nandre Burger
*Uncapped South African
Joburg Super Kings
R. 175,000
$10,000
Donavon Ferreira
*Uncapped South African
Joburg Super Kings
R. 5,500,000
$311,000
Matthew Breetzke
*Uncapped South African
Durban Super Giants
R. 175,000
$24,000
Mitchell van Buuren
*Uncapped South African
Paarl Royals
R. 175,000
$10,000
Wihan Lubbe
South Africa
Paarl Royals
R. 350,000
$20,000
Marco Marais
*Uncapped South African
Pretoria Capitals
R. 175,000
$10,000
Delano Potgieter
*Uncapped South African
MI Cape Town
R. 175,000
$10,000
Roelof van der Merwe
South Africa/Netherlands
Sunrisers Eastern Cape
R. 175,000
$10,000
Marques Ackerman
*Uncapped South African
Sunrisers Eastern Cape
R. 175,000
$10,000
Ferisco Adams
*Uncapped South African
Paarl Royals
R. 325,000
$18,000
Imraan Manack
*Uncapped South African
Paarl Royals
R. 175,000
$10,000
Christiaan Jonker
South Africa
Durban Super Giants
R. 175,000
$10,000
Evan Jones
*Uncapped South African
Paarl Royals
R. 1,700,000
$96,000
Malusi Siboto
*Uncapped South African
Joburg Super Kings
R. 175,000
$10,000
Ramon Simmonds
*Uncapped South African
Paarl Royals
R. 175,000
$10,000
James Fuller
*Uncapped South African/New Zealand
Sunrisers Eastern Cape
R. 425,000
$24,000
List of Unsold Players in Round 10
Base price – 850,000 Rands ($48,000): Adam Lyth
Base price: – 425,000 Rands ($24,000): Jeffrey Vandersay, Jake Lintott, Paul Walter, Tom Moores, Sam Cook, George Scrimshaw
Base price -175,000 Rands ($10,000): Grant Roelofsen, Glenton Stuurman, Mbulelo Budaza, Ziyaad Abrahams, Aya Gqamane, Steve Eskinaz, Diego Rosier, Khaya Zondo, Johan van Dyk, Pieter Malan, Dayyan Galiem, Henry Brookes, Farhaan Behardien, Pite van Biljon, Unmukt Chand, Bayers Swanepoel
SA20 Auction – Round 12 – The eXXpress Auction
Players
International Team
Franchise
Price Sold (South African Rands)
US Dollar Conversion
Odean Smith
West Indies
MI Cape Town
R. 1,700,000
$96,000
Jimmy Neesham
New Zealand
Pretoria Capitals
R. 3,600,000
$203,000
Eoin Morgan
England
Paarl Royals
R. 2,000,000
$113,000
Kusal Mendis
Sri Lanka
Pretoria Capitals
R. 425,000
$24,000
Brydon Carse
England
Sunrisers Eastern Cape
R. 425,000
$24,000
Sarel Erwee
South Africa
Sunrisers Eastern Cape
R. 175,000
$10,000
Simon Harmer
South Africa
Joburg Super Kings
R. 200,000
$11,000
Wiaan Mulder
South Africa
Durban Super Giants
R. 1,900,000
$107,000
Caleb Seleka
*Uncapped South African
Joburg Super Giants
R. 175,000
$10,000
Daryn Dupavillon
South Africa
Pretoria Capitals
R. 1,700,000
$96,000
Ziyaad Abrahams
*Uncapped South African
MI Cape Town
R. 175,000
$10,000
Wesley Marshall
*Uncapped South African
MI Cape Town
R. 175,000
$10,000
Aya Gqamane
*Uncapped South African
Sunrisers Eastern Cape
R. 175,000
$10,000
Codi Yusuf
*Uncapped South African
Paarl Royals
R. 175,000
$10,000
Olly Stone
England
MI Cape Town
R. 850,000
$48,000
Grant Roelofsen
*Uncapped South African
MI Cape Town
R. 175,000
$10,000
Shane Dadswell
*Uncapped South African
Pretoria Capitals
R. 175,000
$10,000
Eathan Bosch
*Uncapped South African
Pretoria Capitals
R. 175,000
$10,000
Tom Abell
*Uncapped English
Sunrisers Eastern Cape
R. 850,000
$48,000
Final List of Unsold Players in Round 12
Temba Bavuma, David Bedingham, Andile Phehlukwayo, Roston Chase, Craig Overton, Siyabonga Mahima, Thimas Kaber, Paul Walter, Sam Cook, Diego Rosier, Farhaan Behardein, Pieter Malan, Rahkeem Cornwall, Hardus Viljoen
Frequently Asked Questions – Get to Know the Players
Who is Junaid Dawood?
Junaid Dawood is a 25-year-old leg break bowler who plays domestic cricket in South Africa.
Who is Shaun von Berg?
Shaun von Berg is a South African bowling allrounder from South Africa.He is a 36-year-old cricketer who has played 124 first class matches and has taken 447 wickets. He was recently purchase by the Pretorius Capitals in the SA20 auction.
Does Ross Taylor still play cricket?
Even though Ross Taylor retired earlier in 2022, he still plays exhibition cricket. He played for the Road Safety series and was in the SA20 auction. He was unsold with base price at 850,000 Rands ($48,000).
Who is Nandre Burger?
Nandre Burger is a 27-year-old South African cricketer. He is a left-handed medium-fast bowling all-rounder.
Who is Donavon Ferreira?
Donavon Ferreira is a 24-year-old South African cricketer. He is a wicketkeeper from Pretoria. He was sold for 5,500,000 South African Rands ($311,000) in the SA20 Auction to Joburg Super Kings.
Who is Matthew Breetze?
Matthew Breetze is a 23-year-old South African cricketer who is a wicket-keeper from the Eastern Province.
Which team purchased Mitchell van Buren in the SA20 Auction?
Mitchell van Buuren, a 24-year-old legspinner from South African was purchased by the Paarl Royals.
Who is Wihan Lubbe?
Wihan Lubbe is a South African cricketer who has played 2 T20Is.
Was Unmukt Chand picked up the 2022 SA20 Auction?
No, Unmukt Chand, an U-19 World Cup winning captain from India who now plays for Team USA, was not picked up for SA20 Auction. His base price was 175,000 South Africa Rands.
Who are the captains in SA20 cricket league in South Africa?
Rashid Khan (MI Cape Town), Quinton de Kock (Durban Super Giants), Aiden Markram (Sunrisers Eastern Cape), Faf du Plessis (Joburg Super Kings), David Miller (Paarl Royals), and Wayne Parnell (Pretoria Capitals) are the six captains of the SA 20 franchise league.
How many foreign players can play in the XI in SA20?
Four foreign players can play in the XI at the same time in SA 20.
West Indies from the 1980s and Australia from the early 2000s have usually held the tag of the greatest cricket teams to ever to be assembled, but do they have a new challenger now?
With the Australia women team winning the 2022 Commonwealth Gold medal, the debate is on—is this Australian women team among the greatest cricketing sides ever?
List of Greatest Cricket Teams
We will consider the modern-day cricket i.e. only the eras after the 1970s (there were great dominant Australian teams in the 1940s and earlier as well).
Winners of the 1975 ODI World Cup, 1979 ODI World Cup, and Runner Up in the 1983 ODI WC (regarded as a massive upset), Clive Lloyd’s men etched their name into glory.They were world beaters in Test match cricket as well with towering fast bowlers even till the mid-1990s.
Record
Most Consecutive Test Series without defeat (29), from 1980-1995
Key Players
Clive Lloyd (C), Garfield Sobers, Sir Vivian Richards, Sir Gordon Greenidge, Desmond Haynes, Michael Holding, Malcolm Marshall, Sir Andy Roberts, Joel Garner, Courtney Walsh, Curtly Ambrose, Lance Gibbs, Colin Croft, Deryck Murray, Lawrence Rowe, Alvin Kallicharan, Roy Fredericks, Rohan Kanhai, Larry Gomes
2020 T20 World Cup, 2022 ODI World Cup, 2022 Commonwealth Gold, 26 Winning ODI Streak (2018-2021)
Women’s cricket in Australia was always going to be one step forward due to awareness and funding. They have most of the ODI and T20 World Cups anyway, so how much better could this team be?
Well, this team is very, very good. They do not lose Test matches, have only lost a couple of ODIs in the last four years, and when it seemed the gas was running out, Ash Gardner & co made sure Australia had the mental strength to comeback from jaws of defeat. All this with the great Ellyse Perry on the sidelines.
16 Series Without Defeat (2001-2004) followed by 9 series (2005-2008)
Key Players
Ricky Ponting, Steve Waugh, Matthew Hayden, Adam Gilchrist, Justin Langer, Shane Warne, Glenn McGrath, Brett Lee, Shane Watson, Andrew Symonds, Michael Bevan, Mark Waugh, Dean Jones, Darren Lehmann, Damien Martyn, Stuart MacGill, Jason Gillespie, Simon Katich, Brad Hogg, Brad Hodge, Michael Kasprowicz, Andy Bichel, Nathan Bracken
During this era, South Africa did not win a World Cup. Nor did they establish absolute dominance, but the thing was in an era where the Australian side had begun their descent, no team in the world was quite as strong.
South Africa though challenged teams all around the world, most notably winning in Australia and drawing in India. The era finally collapsed after 2015-16 season, but they gave it all in their final stand – The Blockathon.
Test Record
14 series without defeat (2008-14)
Key Players
Graeme Smith, Jacques Kallis, Faf du Plessis, Hashim Amla, AB De Villiers, Dale Steyn, Morne Morkel, Mark Boucher, Vernon Philander, JP Duminy, David Miller, Imran Tahir, Shaun Pollock (end of career), Makhaya Ntini (end of career), Ashwell Prince
Most World Cup winning teams are some of the greatest teams in a nations history, but why did I choose the England 2015-2022 team? It is because of the dominant nature of their high risk ODI cricket that they became famous for. Started by Brendon McCullum in the 2015 ODI World Cup, Eoin Morgan took the baton and carried England forward.
Yes flat pitches, bigger bats, and all but 498/4, 481/6, 444/3, 418/6, 408/9, & 399/6 is just another level of dominance. High risk meant that they lost more often, but they changed ODI cricket forever.
Key Players
Eoin Morgan, Joe Root, Alex Hales, Jonny Bairstow, Jason Roy, Jos Buttler, Ben Stokes, Jofra Archer, Liam Plunkett, Adil Rashid, Chris Woakes, Moeen Ali, David Willey, Sam Curran, Mark Wood, Tom Curran, Chris Jordan, Liam Livingstone, James Vince, Joe Denly
Honorable Mention
Sri Lanka (1996-2015), Pakistan (1985-1999), India (2008-2013), India (2018-present), South Africa (1992-1999), England (2008-2011)
Do you agree that these are the greatest cricket teams? Comment below and let us know.
Time for another World XI with Twists – Kolpak South African Cricketers Edition.
Huge revelation today – Quinton de Kock bid adieu to Test Cricket at the age of 29 after India brushed them aside in the first Test at Centurion. For more than a decade, South Africa have suffered a loss of talent to England through the Kolpak deal and now they have lost yet another great player, this time to overkill of cricket.
What Has South African Cricket Been Through Recently?
From being the #1 Test side for over a decade to becoming the “team in transition,” things have been far from ideal for South African cricket fans.
AB De Villiers retired from all of cricket, finally quashing the “Will he-Won’t he-Should he Return” debate. Faf du Plessis (retired from Tests to focus on T20I comeback), Imran Tahir, and Chris Morris have been shunted out from national selection due to their T20 leagues commitments. Dale Steyn hung up his boots, while Vernon Philander, Hashim Amla (lack of form) and Morne Morkel (now an Australian citizen) retired prematurely and took Kolpak deals post-retirement. In 2021, the domestic system has been restructured, SJN (Social Justice and briefly Nation Building) report has sparred nobody including Boucher-Smith, and the QDK kneeling controversy has further added to the fuel.
Only the 4/5 wins and positive brand of cricket in the 2021 T20 World Cup was a shining light. That too ended in a traditional disqualification due to net run rate.
However, since Brexit the Kolpak deal no longer holds, and the players are eligible for comeback. Blessing Muzarabani has been a ray of hope for Zimbabwe while David Wiese (ex-South African international) had a stellar T20 World Cup with Namibia. Wayne Parnell became the 1st official Kolpak player to make a comeback while Duanne Olivier is inching closer and closer.
Can Kolpak South African cricketers revive the Proteas ill-fated destiny?
Today’s Twist
Build 2 World XIs:
(1) A current XI of Kolpak South African Exodus players who are eligible for a South African comeback (Note they do not have to be contracted by a domestic team yet. Only that they are not retired and could comeback sometime in the future)
(2) An All-Time Best XI of Kolpak Players (retired)
The Catch
The XI needs to have five bowlers & a wicketkeeper.
*Note this does NOT include the list of players who were born in South Africa and are now settled in different countries representing England, Australia, New Zealand, Namibia, Netherlands, USA, etc. Those players are in the list linked below.
Overall around 69 cricketers have taken up Kolpak deals at some points in their career (49 from South Africa, 6 Zimbabwe, 2 New Zealand, and 12 West Indies – 7 Barbados, 3 Jamaica, 1 Trinidad and Tobago, 1 Guyana).
Additionally, around 39 cricketers were born in South Africa but have represented other countries & left South Africa earlier like Devon Conway and Kevin Pietersen. Then there are some like Dawid Malan (born in England, raised in South Africa, went back to England for international cricket) and Dane Piedt (left for USA but has not played an international for them yet), who are in neither of those lists.
Hence, there are at least 80 high profile cricketers that were from South African origin but did not represent the Proteas for at least some portion of their careers (Remember SA was banned from international cricket due to Apartheid in the 1980s, which was the beginning of the exodus).
Let us add another layer. Due to overkill of cricket, politics, and financial opportunities, AB De Villiers, Quinton de Kock, Hashim Amla, Morne Morkel, and Graeme Smith retired relatively early. Others took up coaching opportunities outside, further weakening the domestic circuit.
*Grant Elliot is a South African born cricketer, who played for New Zealand and later took a Kolpak deal after retiring from New Zealand duty.
What do you think about Kolpak South African cricketers’ comeback? COMMENT BELOW AND LET US KNOW!
Current Kolpak XI Eligible for South African Comeback
From the 49, here are 14 Kolpak South African cricketers who are eligible for an international comeback. Practically, the reserve South African XI disappeared in a decade.
Previous Teams: Cape Cobras, Western Province, South Africa A
SA Domestic Team (Current): Boland
Claim To Fame
Stiaan van Zyl became the 100th player to score a Test century on debut and yet, he left for England after just 12 Tests.
What did South Africa Miss?
A top order batter who could bowl fast medium, South Africa missed the balance (especially after Kallis’ retirement), reserve depth in batting, and a weaker domestic system without a batter of his caliber.
2. Richard Levi (2014)
International Debut:February 6, 2012International Matches: 13 T20Is
Age Left: 26 Age Now: 33
County Team: Northamptonshire (earlier Somerset)
T20 Teams: Mumbai Indians
Previous Teams: Cape Cobras, Western Province, South Africa A, South Africa U-19, South Africa XI
SA Domestic Team (Current):Has not played again in SA domestic circuit yet
Claim To Fame
Fastest T20I hundred (off 45 balls against New Zealand in 2012) at that time. Also had most sixes in a T20I (13) in that innings. Played only 13 T20Is before heading out.
What did South Africa Miss?
A swashbuckling opening batter in limited overs (Think Brendon McCullum-Martin Guptill-Colin Munro esque) who was ahead of his times when the T20 format was in its infancy. Could have been an ideal foil for QDK-Amla at the top in T20Is.
3. Rilee Rossouw (2016)
International Debut:August 20, 2014International Matches: 36 ODIs, 15 T20Is
Previous Teams: Free State, Eagles, South Africa A, South Africa U-19
SA Domestic Team (Current):Knights (T20)
Claim to Fame
After beginning his international career with a series of ducks, he stabilized his spot in the international team with3 ODI hundreds, 7 fifties and two T20I fifties (here is his 78 vs Australia, where he overshadowed the likes of QDK, Miller, and Duminy).
Played the 2015 ODI World Cup and the 2016 T20 World Cup. Now sought after in T20 leagues around the world.
What did South Africa Miss?
The messiest exit of all and the one that hurt the most. South Africa had heavily invested in Rossouw, and he had become the next big middle order player in the South African line-up, one that would almost certainly replace the great AB De Villiers. Rossouw exited over an iPhone email to coach Russell Domingo and even spelled Domingo’s first name incorrectly. Scored a century in his last ODI (122 vs Australia) and was the player of the series in that series (311 runs). Little did Protea fans know that it was to be his final time in South African colors.
4. Heino Kuhn – WK (2018)
International Debut:July 6-9, 2017International Matches: 4 Tests, 7 T20Is
Age Left: 33 Age Now: 37
County Team: Kent (Northerns earlier)
Previous Teams: Titans, South Africa A
SA Domestic Team (Current):North West
Claim To Fame
Overall 11,000 first class runs with 24 hundreds and 58 fifties. Did not light up the international circuit in his short stay, but is a stalwart of South African domestic circuit.
What did South Africa Miss?
Left after CSA conveyed the message to him that his chances at international cricket would be limited. The domestic circuit was further weakened by his exit in his first class prime.
5. Colin Ingram (2014)
International Debut:October 8, 2010Interational Matches: 31 ODIs, 9 T20Is
Age Left:Age Now: 36
County Team: Glamorgan
Previous Teams: Free State, Eastern Province, Warriors, South Africa A
T20 Teams: Islamabad United, Trinbago Knight Riders, St. Lucia Zouks, Oval Invincibles, Hobart Hurricanes, Adelaide Strikers, Delhi Capitals
SA Domestic Team (Current):Has not played again in SA domestic circuit yet
Claim To Fame
With 3 ODI hundreds and 3 fifties in ODIs and a 78 in T20Is, he had a decent limited overs career. However, these days he is known for being the most famous South African T20 export, playing in almost all leagues around the world.
Stability in the middle order in limited overs cricket. It is clear after 15 years of T20I cricket that boundary percentage, pressure situation experience, and T20 leagues are the backbone of world winning T20I sides. Apart from Faf du Plessis, Imran Tahir, and AB De Villiers, Colin Ingram would have bolstered SA in this regard.
6. Dane Vilas – WK
International Debut:March 30, 2012International Matches: 6 Tests, 1 T20I
Age Left: 30 Age Now: 36
County Team: Lancashire
Previous Teams: South Western Districts, Lions, Cape Cobras, South Africa A, South Africa XI
SA Domestic Team (Current):Has not played again in SA domestic circuit yet
Claim to Fame
Has scored over 9700 first class runs with 22 centuries. Appeared in the movie Hansie as Allan Donald.
What did South Africa Miss?
SA missed out on a great wicket-keeping substitute. AB De Villiers took the burden as keeper for most of his career. and Quinton de Kock’s entry signaled the end of Vilas’ international career. However South Africa would have liked long-term wicket-keeping reserves just like India had Parthiv Patel, Wriddhiman Saha, Dinesh Karthik, and Rishabh Pant in case of injury to MS Dhoni (or playing alongside for an extended batting order).
Reserve depth in the medium pace allrounder-finisher slot. After Viljoen, Wiese, & Parnell left, Chris Morris, Andile Phehlukwayo, Dwaine Pretorius, and Wiaan Mulder were the only names left. With Morris’ strained relationship with CSA and Phehlukwayo’s loss of form, SA does not have many options anymore. At only 32 and back in SA domestic circuit, there may be an opening for a comeback.
County Team: Worcestershire (Sussex, Kent earlier)
Previous Teams: Cape Cobras, Eastern Province, Warriors, South Africa U-19, South Africa A
T20 Teams: Islamabad United, Karachi Kings, Barbados Tridents, Pune Warriors, Delhi Daredevils
SA Domestic Team (Current):Western Province
Claim To Fame
Youngest player to get a CSA contract after his early age/U-19 World Cup heroics, Parnell burst onto the scene around the 2009 T20 World Cup. Good performances lead to a great IPL deal, and Parnell became a rising star.
He played in a couple more World Cups but injuries meant other bowlers jumped ahead in the pecking order. He left for a Kolpak deal but has come back, still only 32.
What did South Africa Miss?
A left-arm seamer for variation. Marco Jansen grabbed eyeballs with his great debut against India, but that is exactly what South Africa have been missing. Among the Steyn-Morkel-Philander-Rabada-Nortje generation, there haven’t been as many left-arm swing bowlers in the last decade for South Africa apart from Parnell (like Boult, Starc, and Shaheen). Good allrounder as well.
9. Simon Harmer (2016)
International Debut:Jan 1-5, 2015, International Matches: 5 Tests
Age Left: 27 Age Now: 32
County Team: Essex
Previous Teams: Border, Warriors, Eastern Province, South African Universities, South Africa A
SA Domestic Team (Current):Titans
Claim To Fame
He is well known for self-acclaimed statement that he is the best-off spinner in the world. With 719 first class wickets and the highest wicket-taker in England first class for the last five years, that may actually be true (along with Nathan Lyon and Ravichandran Ashwin).
Although leg spinners were in demand in 2010s (Tahir) and left arm spinners are now at the top of the demand list (Maharaj, Shamsi, Fortuin, Linde), they have been missing a world class off spinner. Aiden Markram’s off-spin can only take you so far…
County Team: Hampshire (Middlesex, Worcestershire other teams)
T20 Leagues: Pune Warriors, Chennai Super Kings, Kings XI Punjab, Lahore Qalandars
Previous Teams: Dolphins, Warriors, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa A
SA Domestic Team (Current):Boland
Claim To Fame
With Steyn-Morkel-Philander at their peak, Abbott did not get consistent opportunities but made the most of it when he was given a chance, especially in limited overs. The 2015 World cup semi-final broke the backbone of the South African team as an injured Vernon Philander was picked (due to political interference/quota system) over Kyle Abbott, the man in-form. South Africa lost, and slowly began to crumble.
Abbott announced his Kolpak decision after everything had been confirmed (without informing CSA) on the same day as Rilee Rossouw—the ultimate double jolt.
What did South Africa Miss?
South Africa missed a smooth transition between the Steyn-Morkel generation and the Rabada-Ngidi generation. Abbott had been earmarked as the next leader in line but that did not happen. Thankfully, Rabada had a great couple of years and Nortje followed it up with a good partnership.
Abbott is back in SA although he has not yet committed to an international return. His first goal is to get back in form due to the Covid-induced break.
11. Duanne Olivier (2019)
International Debut:Jan 12-14, 2017, International Matches: 10 Tests, 2 ODIs
Age Left: 26 Age Now: 29
County Team: Yorkshire
Previous Teams: Free State, Knights, South Africa U-19
T20 Teams: Jaffna Stallions, Jozi Stars
SA Domestic Team (Current):Lions
Claim To Fame
48 Test wickets in 10 matches at an average of 19.25, what a brilliant start to his career. In the second series against Pakistan, he took two 5-fers in a match and went onto take 24 wickets in the series (best haul in a 3-match series since 1902-03), thereby becoming the player of the series.
What did South Africa Miss?
When one door opens, another closes.
Abbott left on January 1st, 2017. Olivier began his journey on January 12th, 2017. It looked like South Africa had found a replacement right away. It worked in their favor for about two short years, before he was picked by Yorkshire. Broken dreams for South African fans again.
12. Marchant de Lange (2017)
International Debut:Dec 26-29, 2011, International Matches: 2 Tests, 4 ODIs, 6 T20Is
Age Left: 25 Age Now: 31
County Team: Glamorgan
Previous Teams: Eastern, Free State, Titans, Knights, Pretoria University, South Africa Academy
SA Domestic Team (Current):Has not played again in SA domestic circuit yet
Claim To Fame
In a bowling attack comprising of Dale Steyn, Morne Morkel, Imran Tahir, and Jacques Kallis, de Lange came up with figures of 23.2-3-81-7 in his debut bowling performance.
What did South Africa Miss?
Unfortunately, injuries meant he could never cement a place in the South African squad and hence, took the Kolpak deal in 2017. Still only 31 and the joint highest wicket taker in the Hundred, he could be a dark horse for a comeback.
Squad:
13. Cameron Delport (holds a British passport and signed with Essex – plays T20 leagues around the world)
14. Farhaan Behardien, former South African T20 captain, has signed with Durham (before Brexit so his future is safe with them) but has not played yet due to COVID.
*This does not include Dane Piedt & Juan (Rusty) Theron, who have gone to the United States as an alternate option.
List of All-Time Kolpak South African Players
South Africa Exodus XI
Faf du Plessis (2007, came back again)
Neil McKenzie (2010)
Jacques Rudolph (2007, came back to SA again; later went back to England as an overseas player)
Hashim Amla (2019)
Ashwell Prince (2013)
Justin Kemp (2008)
Andrew Hall (2008)
David Wiese (2017)
Paul Harris (2006, came back again)
Ryan Maclaren (2007, came back to SA again; later came back to England as an overseas player)
Morne Morkel (2018)
First Choice Squad:
12. Alfonso Thomas (2008), 13. Lance Klusener, 14. Shaun Pollock (2008), 15. Nicky Boje (2008), 16. Vernon Philander (signed but cancelled), 17. Charl Langeveldt (2008), 18. Andre Nel (2009)
Squad: 19. Claude Henderson, 20. Greg Smith (2004), 21. Riki Wessels, 22. Charl Willoughby, 23. Martin van Jaarsveld, 24. Zander de Bruyn (2005), 25. Garnett Kruger, 26. Tyron Henderson (2007), 27. Dillon du Preez, 28. Dominic Telo, 29. Friedel de Wet, 30. Johan van der Wath, 31. Nantie Hayward (2008), 32. Johann Myburgh (2011), 33. Gareth Roderick (2012), 34. Alviro Peterson (2015), 35. Daryn Smit – WK (2017)
List of Non-South African Kolpak Players
Dwayne Smith (2008, West Indies – Barbados)
Brendon Taylor – WK/Captain (2015, Zimbabwe, later came back)
Murray Goodwin (2005, Zimbabwe)
Grant Flower (2004, Zimbabwe)
Shivnarine Chanderpaul (2017, West Indies – Guyana)
Grant Elliot (2017, New Zealand)
Brendan Nash (2013, West Indies – Jamaica, born in Australia)
Wavell Hinds (2008, West Indies – Jamaica)
Kyle Jarvis (2013, Zimbabwe)
Blessing Muzarabani (2018, Zimbabwe, later came back)
Fidel Edwards (2015, West Indies – Barbados, later came back)
Squad:
12. Ravi Rampaul (2016, West Indies – Trinidad & Tobago), 13. Ottis Gibson (2004, West Indies – Barbados), 14. Miguel Cummins (2019, West Indies – Barbados), 15. Tino Best (2017, West Indies – Barbados), 16. Pedro Collins (2007, West Indies – Barbados), 17. Corey Collymore (2008, West Indies – Barbados), 18. Jermaine Lawson (2008, West Indies – Jamaica, later moved to the USA), 19. Andre Adams (2008, New Zealand), 20. Anthony Ireland (2007, Zimbabwe)
What Was the Kolpak Deal?
The Kolpak ruling was named after Maros Kolpak (handball player from Slovakia) by the European Court of Justice. It was submitted on 28 November, 2000 and decided on 8 May, 2003.
County cricket had limited each team to have at most one overseas player. Earlier in 1995, the Bosman ruling had already admitted players from EU (like the Netherlands) to be considered as domestic players. The Kolpak ruling now allowed citizens of other countries with EU Association Agreements to have the same rights to work. Hence, a cricketer from South Africa, Zimbabwe, Jamaica, or Barbados did not eat up the overseas spots of counties.
However, they had to give up their international career until the Kolpak contract expired.
Why Did Kolpak Deal End?
With Brexit, the UK withdrew from the European Union (effective 31 January, 2020), thereby ceasing the Kolpak deal.
FAQ
Can Kolpak players play for South Africa?
Yes, Kolpak players can now play for South Africa (beginning in 2022). They are already able to be picked domestic South African sides. Wayne Parnell has played a few ODIs upon his return and Duanne Olivier has starred in some Test matches.
Has Kolpak ended?
Yes, the Kolpak deals ended as of January 31st, 2020, when the United Kingdom officially left the European Union.
Why do South African cricketers leave South Africa?
South African cricketers leave South Africa for multiple reasons—financial opportunities, administrative drama, quota system, Apartheid, passport of another country through family citizenship, and decreasing value of the South African Rand (7.81 rands = $1 in Jan 30, 2012 to 18.52 on April 29, 2020).
How many cricketers took the Kolpak deal?
Overall around 69 cricketers took Kolpak deals at some points in their career (49 from South Africa, 6 Zimbabwe, 2 New Zealand, and 12 West Indies – 7 Barbados, 3 Jamaica, 1 Trinidad and Tobago, 1 Guyana).
Which Kolpak South African players are available for a national comeback?
Stiaan van Zyl, Richard Levi, Rilee Roussow, Heino Kuhn, Colin Ingram, Dane Vilas, Hardus Viljoen, Wayne Parnell, Simon Harmer, Kyle Abbott, and Duanne Olivier are eligible for a South African cricket team national comeback (or have already been picked).
2021 T20 World Cup Team Review Time. Here is the complete dissection of every team. The best moments, analysis, stats, and what changes need to be made for each team to succeed in the upcoming 2022 T20 World Cup. Comment below on your favorite moment of this T20 World Cup and what you think about their prospects in the 2022 T20 World Cup in Australia.
Australia—a name so synonymous to Cricket World Cups it is not even a surprise they somehow managed to win this one. Unlike most times, though, they were not even in Top 5 Favorites this time around. Even Bangladesh & Afghanistan were fancied more since Australia has lost their last 4 T20I bilateral series and were hammered 4-1 in Bangladesh.
Lots of good stories for Justin Langer’s group. A group of lovely characters, marked by Stoinis, Zampa, Wade, Maxwell combined with their star power in Warner-Smith-Cummins-Hazlewood-Starc deliver unlikely victory. Hazlewood’s accuracy, Zampa’s wicket-taking abilities, Warner’s consistency, Mitchell Marsh’s coming of age, Steve Smith’s boundary catching, and Stoinis-Wade’s finishing combined to make this a dangerous T20 side.
Now Australia has won everything—Women’s ODI & T20I World Cups, U-19 World Cups, Men’s ODI & T20 World Cups & Champions Trophy. Looks like life is all good for Australia and free of Paine…
Mitchell Marsh’s Dream Final, Matthew Wade-Marcus Stoinis Partnership, Cummins at the Death
Luck Factor (Or the Lack of)
Aaron Finch Wins All the Tosses
Broken Dreams
Starc 4-0-60-0 in the Final. Does he merit a place in the 2022 T20 World Cup Squad?
What Does Australia Need to Do For the 2022 T20 World Cup?
Home World Cup, expectations on them. No team has won two consecutive T20 World Cups or a T20 World Cup at home. Now, they have a good T20 core group from which they can challenge the rest of the world. The real question here is—Can Australia continue playing the same brand of cricket?
2. New Zealand 2021 T20 World Cup
New Zealand are the best all-format team to beat at the moment, aren’t they? 2 ODI World Cup finals in a row (2015, 2019), current World Test Championship holders, and now the runners up in a T20 World Cup. Just like Australia, not many expected them to get to semi-finals, let alone the finals. With an early loss to Pakistan, things did start positively for them. Credit to them, they strangled India, survived threat against Namibia, and continued on their marching way before the Neesham-Mitchell assault shocked England.
Positives? Mitchell’s inspirational promotion & Top 3’s solo performances (Mitchell’s 72*, Williamson’s 85, & Guptill’s 93, Southee’s economical World Cup, shining Boult & Sodhi (if we take out Sodhi’s final), roaring Milne in his comeback, and Neesham, who finally gets his revenge.
Negatives? Conway-Phillips-Seifert had been one of the reasons for NZ’s success in T20I’s over the past year, but none of them had a stellar performance. Conway played a crucial recovery innings in the semi-finals, Phillips (once a keeper) bowled some tight off spin and hit Zampa for a six in the final, but other than that, nothing much of note. Also Guptill’s 27 (35).…say no more.
Kane Williamson (216) Martin Guptill (208) Daryl Mitchell (208)
Highest Wicket Takers
Trent Boult (13)
X Factors
Daryl Mitchell – the Opener, Neesham – the Finisher, Fielding Unit, Southee Reinvents Himself
Broken Dreams
Lockie Ferguson ruled out before the WC; Devon Conway injures himself by punching his bat after his semi-final dismissals; Misses the Final; New Zealand struggle early on and ends up on the runners up podium again.
What Does New Zealand Need to Do For the 2022 T20 World Cup?
New Zealand made it to the final on the back of good strategy and smart cricket. However, it is unlikely that this squad will succeed again in 2022 in Australian conditions. Do all three of Ish Sodhi-Todd Astle-Mitchell Santner fit in the 15? Does Martin Guptill continue or will Finn Allen be given a chance? Can both Adam Milne & Lockie Ferguson make the XI? Where does Tim Seifert fit in the equation? So many questions, less than 335 days, as Jimmy Neesham puts it.
3. Pakistan 2021 T20 World Cup Team Review
Will Pakistan get a better chance? World Cup in the UAE, Babar Azam & Mohammad Rizwan in the form of their lives, bowling good as usual, fielding better than ever, Asif Ali finally coming into his own, and the 40 year youngsters Hafeez and Malik matching everybody else.
5 group matches, 5 different player of the match awards. Shaheen Shah Afridi, Asif Ali, Haris Rauf, Mohammad Rizwan, and Shoaib Malik. And the most runs of the tournament by their captain Babar Azam?
How did they get here? By completely dominating the match against India (via Shaheen’s opening spell including that ball to KL Rahul), completed a low scorer against NZ, crushed Afghanistan with Asif Ali’s 4 sixes, and brushed Scotland & Namibia by batting first.
Pakistan, who have been disappointed by NZ and England cricket boards, were writing a lovely beautiful story. However, just as in the 2010 T20 WC semi final against Australia, the story went off track. A left handed middle order batter finished it off with consecutive sixes against Pakistan’s best bowler. It was Mike Hussey Vs Saeed Ajmal 11 years ago. It was Matthew Wade Vs Shaheen Shah Afridi this year.
Shadab Khan (9) Haris Rauf (8) Shaheen Shah Afridi (7)
X Factors
Haris Rauf’s death bowling, Shaheen Shah Afridi in the Powerplay, Imad Wasim-Shadab Khan’s miserly spells, Babar-Rizwan partnerhship, Malik-Asif Finishing
Broken Dreams
Hasan Ali’s Form Lose a Close Semi-Final After Winning 5/5 Group Matches and dominating 35 overs of the semi=final
What Does Pakistan Need To Do For the 2022 T20 World Cup?
Although Pakistan were possibly the best team throughout this year, they will have to make several changes next year due to conditions. A 150-160 score may not be defendable, the bowling combinations might need to be tweaked, and some young aggresive batters like Haider Ali will need to be placed in the XI.
4. England 2021 T20 World Cup Team Review
I have two points of view on this England campaign. One can say that just like Pakistan, it was an underwhelming campaign since they dominated the group stages and failed to finish the semi-final like the Carlos Brathwaite final 5 years ago.
On the other hand, England were already missing Ben Stokes, Jofra Archer, and Sam Curran. During the tournament, they lost Tymal Mills, their best death bowler, and Jason Roy. The fact that they still dominated the tournament shows the marvelous depth in English cricket right now.
The positives? Moeen Ali’s all round package, Chris Woakes’ opening spells, Tymal Mills’ international comeback, Adil Rashid’s magic, Livingstone’s off-spin/leg-spin, and Jos Buttler’s century.
Adil Rashid (9) Moeen Ali, Tymal Mills, Chris Woakes (7) Liam Livingstone, Chris Jordan (6)
X Factors
Tymal Mills’ death bowling, Moeen Ali’s all-round show; The Beast that is Buttler
Broken Dreams
Favorites fail to lift the T20 World Cup again; Tymal Mills & Jason Roy out injured mid-tournament; Morgan-Livingstone underwhelm with the bat
What Does England Need To Do For the 2022 T20 World Cup?
Given Eoin Morgan’s batting form, he is almost nearing the end of his England journey although his captaincy was still top notch. Ashes is around the corner, and it is too soon to predict squads since injuries/retirements/mental health breaks are around the corner due to their grueling schedule. Malan & Moeen might stay, but Morgan might not make the XI if Stokes is back. If England can find depth & consistency in their death bowling (need to look past Jordan & Tom Curran), then this golden generation might have lift the T20 World Cup trophy.
5. South Africa 2021 T20 World Cup Team Review
One of the two teams that would go back with positives. Despite the Quinton de Kock Controversy early on, South Africa held themselves up nicely under captain Temba Bavuma.
Anrich Nortje was devastating throughout the tournament, even a sub-par Kagiso Rabada got a hat-trick, Killer Miller came back to win a thriller against Sri Lanka, Rassie Van der Dussen-Aiden Markram made huge strides, and spinners Markram-Maharaj tied down the opposition. The peak of their journey was the final match where they defeated tournament favorites England, and dented their confidence going to the semi-finals.
The only two blips? The narrow loss against Australia in the opening game of the Super 12s and the slow chase against Bangladesh meant they finished they barely failed to qualify due to net run rate.
I had anticipated South Africa would miss ABD, Faf, Tahir, and Morris but evidently they made it work.
Nortje-Shamsi brilliant with the ball, Markram-van der Dussen brilliant with the bat, The Return of Killer Miller, and Temba Bavuma’s captaincy
Broken Dreams
Quinton de Kock & Cricket South Africa’s miscommunication and mini-scandal Failing to Qualify for the Semi-Finals on NRR again
What Does South Africa Need To Do For the 2022 T20 World Cup?
South Africa need more stability in their middle order. The bowlers can defend middling scores in all conditions, but inconsistency in batting and lack of death is holding them back. They have a good core, if they do not get the Group of Death again, they will definitely be semi-finalist contenders.
6. Sri Lanka 2021 T20 World Cup Team Review
The most improved and watchable team of the T20 World Cup. Sri Lanka was the only team in the first week to look a class apart. In the Super 12s, they began positively with an improbable chase against Bangladesh and pushed England to the edge. However, they never really recovered from their last over loss against South Africa.
Asalanka & Rajapaska were the pick of the batters, opposition had no clue for their mystery spin, and Lahiru Kumara’s aggressive attitude and speed took opposition by surprise.Wanindu Hasaranga is having a dream year, and he was one of the standouts of this World Cups, both with the bat and the ball.
Wanindu Hasaranga’s All-Round Show, Lahiru Kumara’s aggression, Nissanka-Asalanka-Rajapaksa form core for the future
Broken Dreams
Lose Steam Towards The End After Winning 5 Overall
What Does Sri Lanka Need To Do For the 2022 T20 World Cup?
From 2015, Sri Lanka had been in grave transition. They finally found a group of players they can persist with in the near future.Hasaranga, Asalanka, & Rajapaksa defined this team with their positive brand of cricket. Finally opener Pathum Nissanka and mystery spinner Theekshana are really good prospects for Sri Lanka. If the seniors—Kusal Perera, Dhananjaya de Silva, captain Dasun Shanaka, (maybe Chandimal & Matthews as well?) and the pacers Chameera-Kumara can come together, they might be the dark horse for the next World Cup.
Unfortunately just failed the direct qualification to the Super 12s, so have to go through the double qualification once again.
7. India 2021 T20 World Cup Team Review
A tough tournament for Indian fans.
A dismal loss against Pakistan, a week long break, no intent against their WC arch-nemesis, New Zealand, and three spirited efforts against Afghanistan, Scotland, and Namibia to boost their net run rate. However, NZ’s victory against Afghanistan ensured India was never really in the tournament apart from outside mathematical calculations. It was the vulnerability against left arm seamers and good fast bowling once again that left India on the backfoot against Pakistan & NZ respectively.
Ravichandran Ashwin’s control in the middle overs and the intent shown by KL Rahul & Rohit Sharma at the end were some positives for India.
Jasprit Bumrah, Ravindra Jadeja (7) Ravichandran Ashwin, Mohammad Shami (6)
X Factors
R Ashwin’s economical middle overs; Rahul-Sharma opening partnership (when they played with freedom)
Broken Dreams
India loses against arch-nemesis NZ; First WC Loss to Pakistan; Favorites crash out without a fight; Shami suffers social media abuse; Kohli’ bows out captaincy career without a title
What Does India Need To Do For the 2022 T20 World Cup?
Revamp their whole squad might be a rash decision, but something out of the ordinary is needed. Although some bold decisions were taken for this tournament, more game time is needed for a new-look T20I team. KL Rahul & Rohit Sharma should stay opening partners, Suryakumar, Pant, Bumrah, & Jadeja should remain in the fray, but the rest is up in the air, especially for Australian conditions.
Does Kohli fit in or do India do what England did to Root? Ashwin has been good, but Chahal definitely merits a place back. What about the Hardik Pandya problem? Can India find batters that in the top 4 that can bowl? India have the players, but maybe it is a curse rather than a blessing in ICC tournaments for this immense depth.
8. Afghanistan 2021 T20 World Cup Team Review
Afghanistan did not have the worst of tournaments and were in contention till the very last day of the Super 12s, but there is a feeling that they could have done better.
In these conditions, Rashid-Mujeeb-Nabi were devastating individually but could not all fire together. The openers gave them spark, but not consistently. Najibullah Zadran was in his peak for, Hamid Hassan was back, and captain Mohammad Nabi batted with responsibility. Muscular Gulbadin Naib had a decent outing, and so did Naveen-ul-Haq. The only team to bat first with confidence and defend scores, their change of strategies in the crunch game against India did not work out for them.
Post the Pakistan game, it all just fell apart. 4 sixes in a row prompted freak retirement announcement by senior batter Asghar Afghan in the middle of the tournament. They could not manage to upset India or NZ, which is all that was needed.
Mystery Spinners; Nabi-Najibullah late order hitting; Zazai-Shahzad provide some good starts
Broken Dreams
Did not upset any of the big 3 in the group—NZ, Pakistan, & India Tough close loss against Pakistan and subsequent retirement of Asghar Afghan in the middle of the tournament derailed their campaign
What Does Afghanistan Need To Do For the 2022 T20 World Cup?
First they need to ensure no administrative turmoil. For the last two World Cups now, they have had captaincy changes right before the tournament. Afghanistan might be upbeat for next year since many of their players have BBL experience in Australia. All they need ais a couple of fast bowlers and Qais Ahmed back, and this team can outdo any other on a given day.
9. Namibia 2021 T20 World Cup Team Review
The story of the tournament by far.
First time qualifying for a cricket world cup since 2003 and guess what? Not only winning one game but THREE GAMES! Defeated the European trio of Ireland (full member), Netherlands, and Scotland and got a direct entry to the 2022 T20 World Cup.
The middle order, led by David Wiese, was their saving grace but their disciplined bowling, led by Trumpelmann & Wiese, kept them in the game, even against the likes of Pakistan and New Zealand. Trumpelmann’s 3-wicket opening over & JJ Smit’s finishing heroics over Scotland was the highlight of their tournament. Kudos to captain Erasmus for playing the tournament with a broken finger.
Jan Frylinck (9) David Wiese (6) Ruben Trumpelmann (6)
X Factors
Lower Middle Order Trumpelmann’s Opening Spells
Broken Dreams
None Really. Except for their opening game against Sri Lanka, they competed well throughout the tournament even against Full Members
What Does Namibia’s Need To Do For the 2022 T20 World Cup?
If Namibia need to improve and go one step further, they need to add a bit of spice to their bowling attack. For their first 10 overs, they are good but need to keep opposition down at the death.Can they make it to the Super 12s again?
10. Scotland 2021 T20 World Cup Team Review
Scotland experienced high highs and suffered low lows.
From 53-6 in their opening game against Bangladesh, a Chris Greaves inspired victory gave them victory over Bangladesh. They dominated the early groups with 3 wins in 3 matches. They nosedived with a 130-run loss against Afghanistan’s spin in the first match of the Super 12s and never recovered. Their only hope was against Namibia which they made a game out of, but still lost.
The bowlers came to the party, especially Mark Watt (1/19, 1/23, 1/23, 1/23, 1/22, 1/13, 1/20, 0/41) but their famed batters let them down.
Richie Berrington (177) George Munsey (152) Matthew Cross (135) Michael Leask (130)
Highest Wicket Takers
Josh Davey (9) Safyaan Sharif, Brad Wheal (8) Mark Watt (7) Chris Greaves (6)
X Factors
Watt’s Economical (6.13) Consistency, Berrington’s Fifties, Fast Bowlers Accurate, Leask’s Power Hitting, The Rise of Chris Greaves, Matt Cross’s Commetnary Behind the Stumps
Broken Dreams
Kyle Coetzer & Heralded Top Order Suffer Collective Failure
What Does Scotland Need To Do For the 2022 T20 World Cup?
Are Scotland’s golden era ageing or was it just the conditions? The good thing is they have qualified for the 2022 T20 World Cup by the virtue of qualifying for the Super 12s. They need batting depth and power hitters to complement their bowlers. Should still make it past the early group into the Super 12s next year.
11. West Indies 2021 T20 World Cup Team Review
Well the Last Dance was not meant to be. Only one win overall, and that too by 3 runs.
Not only did West Indies not qualify for the semi-finals, they had a horrible time. Bundled out for 55 against England, they never really figured out what their approach will be. Go all guns blazing like Lewis tried or hang in there like Lendl Simmons? Gayle-Pollard-Russell were almost no shows, and Jason Holder as replacement (who should have been in the squad in the first place) was the only spark.
Akeal Hosein was the find for West Indies, filling Fabian Allen’s left arm spin shoe perfectly as were Pooran-Hetmyer briefly. It was good to see Bravo & Gayle having fun in what may be their last T20I.
55 All Out Obed McCoy Injury Lendl Simmons’ Slow Show Dwayne Bravo Retires Chris Gayle (almost) retires Horror show for T20 stars Gayle, Pollard, Russell Hat-trick Dream Unfulfilled
What Does West Indies Need To Do For the 2022 T20 World Cup?
A completely rejig of the squad is needed. Hetmyer, Pooran, Lewis, Holder, Fabian Allen, Akeal Hosein, and even Kieron Pollard might stay but it is the end of the road for Gayle, Bravo, Russell? and Rampaul. It would be interesting to see if Roston Chase stays and if ‘rotating the strike’ will come into their T20 philosophy. West Indies of the 2010s changed T20 cricket with their boundary hitting but they need to move on with the times.
12. Bangladesh 2021 T20 World Cup Team Review
Where do I even start?
I was a fan of the rising Bangladesh ODI team and had them as a semi-finalist possibility, but this team was a complete no-show. Expected to do well in spinning UAE conditions and after dominating Australia & New Zealand at home in dust bowls, this was a huge let down.
For the first time in recent WCs, the seniors did not stand up (Shakib in the first few games apart) which exposed the gaps in the rest of the team. The likes of Liton Das, Soumy Sarkar, and Afif Hossain have not really become consistent cricketers that Bangladesh needed.
The worst part was the last couple of games. Losing a WC happens, but giving up without a fight was truly disappointing as they were skittled for 73 and 84 respectively against Australia & South Africa.
Taskin Ahmed’s comeback spirit and Mahedi Hasan were the only positive.
Shakib Al Hasan (11) Mahedi Hasan, Mustafizur Rahman (8)
X Factors
Taskin Ahmed’s Energy Mahedi Hasan Shakib Al Hasan in the early stages
Broken Dreams
Mahmudullah’s captaincy decisions Mushfiqur Rahim’s lack of form Liton Das’s Horror Show Youngsters Fail To Rise to the Occasion Mustafizur Expensive Shakib Al Hasan’s Injury
What Does Bangladesh Need To Do For the 2022 T20 World Cup?
The next generation of Bangladesh cricket need to come in. Already the likes of Saif Hasasn, Najmul Hossain Shanto, leg spinner Aminul Islam, U-19 winning captain Akbar Ali among others have been selected for the Pakistan T20I series while Mushfiqur Rahim is dropped. I expect the Fab 4 to be in the squad in Australia, but maybe not a regular XI spot. This is the step in the right direction, but one year is too less for a T20I team to develop. It may take a few years to bounce back.
13. Oman 2021 T20 World Cup Team Review
Oman will have mixed feelings from this World Cup.
First of all, they were wonderful hosts and made sure the tournament started off the right foot (beautiful background as well). After winning the first game against PNG comfortably, they would have felt they are almost into the Super 12s, but they let the tense game against Bangladesh slip.
Bilal Khan, Zeeshan Mazsood (5) Kaleemullah, Fayyab Butt (4)
X Factors
Jatinder Singh-Aqib Ilyas Opening Partnership
Broken Dreams
Had a foot in the door early on, but could not maintain momentum; This was a good chance to qualify to the next round since all matches were at home
What Does Oman Need To Do For the 2022 T20 World Cup?
They need to go back and qualify for the 2022 T20 World Cup. They need to make sure their middle order batters can endure pressure moments. Qualification cycles can be difficult, so we do not know if we will see them again. With Zimbabwe back in the qualifiers, it will just be harder.
14. Ireland 2021 T20 World Cup Team Review
All was well and good with the world when Curtis Campher took 4 wickets in 4 balls and Ireland hammered the Netherlands. However, Sri Lanka’s big defeat rocked their NRR and a rising Namibia overthrew them as the ‘Associate giant.’
It was just destiny. Ireland upset the big teams 15 years ago to gain respect for the Associate nations, and now when they are a Full Member, a stronger set of Associate nations are beginning to upset them.
Josh Little the only positive for them apart from Campher.
Curtis Campher, The Double Hat-trick Man (or 4-in-4?)
Broken Dreams
Full Member Ireland seem to be regressing in T20Is despite strides in ODI cricket
What Does Ireland Need To Do For the 2022 T20 World Cup?
Ireland’s golden generation has ended, and it will take a while for the young guns to pick up but T20 cricket is just not suited to their styles.Probably the end of the road for Kevin O’Brien. Honestly, I do not see Ireland see improving much unless T20 franchise leagues start acquring talent like Paul Stirling and Josh Little.
15. Papua New Guinea 2021 T20 World Cup Team Review
Papua New Guinea brought the world to the Cricket World Cup. Although they did not win any games, their family-like spirit took the fans by delight.
The partnership between Assad Vala and Charles Amini against Oman displayed that these bunch of players possess a lot of talent if they are given the environment to flourish. Some good hitting at the end by Doriga as well against Scotland to keep the game interesting.
Charles Amini-Assad Vala show the flair in their side Brilliant diving catches and disciplined fielding throughout
Broken Dreams
Go Home With No Wins
What Does Papua New Guinea Need To Do For the 2022 T20 World Cup?
They have to go through qualification again. The next World Cup is near their home in Oceania, but is their World Cup qualification dream too far?
16. Netherlands 2021 T20 World Cup Team Review
Netherlands were a rising team over the last couple of years, but questionable selections and lack of preparation due to COVID-19 meant they could not carry their form in the tournament.
106/10, 44/10 and losing to Namibia after scoring 164/4. Not much of note apart from Max O’Dowd’s form. They came in with good form and called upon RTD & RVDM, but performances did not add up.
Netherlands’ World Cup In A Nutshell
Result
4th in Group A
Wins/Losses
0/3
Best Match
None
Highest Run Scorers
Max O’Dowd (123)
Highest Wicket Takers
Pieter Seelar, Fred Klaassen, Brandon Glover (2)
X Factors
Max O’Dowd continues his good form
Broken Dreams
The great Ryan Ten Doeschate retires without a proper sendoff (does not get selected for the last match)
What Does Netherlands Need To Do For the 2022 T20 World Cup?
They just need to play more between World Cups. They have a South Africa tour coming up. Hopefully they can gain good experience and build confidence. Will need to qualify again however.
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On the 30th anniversary of South Africa’s first ODI since international readmission on 10th November 1991 against India, we review Netflix’s Fallen Idolepisode of their series ‘Bad Sport.’
This is Hansie Cronje’s story & his fall from grace during the infamous match-fixing scandal. What was going in Cronje’s mind? How did his teammates and family feel? What about the South African public? And most importantly, what was the investigation like?
Netflix Summary:Hansie Cronje captivates South Africa as the nation’s charismatic cricket captain, but allegations of match fixing besmirch his sterling reputation
Protagonist: Hansie Cronje
Major Characters: Allan Donald, Herschelle Gibbs, Jonathan Agnew, Cronje’s brother, sister, and wife, and Marlon Aronstam, bookie that started it all.
Release Date: October 6, 2021
Length: 1 hour, 6 minutes
Rating: 4.5/5
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 4.5 out of 5.
Other Episodes: Hoop Schemes (USA college basketball), Need for Weed (Auto Racing), Soccergate (Juventus scandal), Gold War (2002 Winter Olympics), Horse hitman (Show Horses)
The episode begins by the dramatic introduction of Marlon Aronstam, the bookie himself, who admits that
“I should never have been able to get close to him.”
The addition of bookmaker, journalists, as well as Allan Donald & Herschelle Gibbs, Fallen Idol goes to the next level. With a series of interviews, we get to know who Hansie Cronje really was and the circumstances of that time.
The documentary traces it step back and walks us through the brief history of South African cricket circa 1992. Violence, apartheid, Nelson Mandela, and the reinstatement of South African cricket. Where did Cronje fit in this complex society?
Cronje’s character is painted as this prominent unifying figure of post-apartheid South Africa, whose stature is only next to the great Nelson Mandela.
Next, the series dives into the details of his rising captaincy & career. We swiftly get into the backdrop of India’s illegal betting environment along with Delhi police’s investigation into the matter of match-fixing.
Hansie Cronje’s untainted heroic figure comes crashing down as allegations surface. The film ends with his unfortunate death in a plane crash, but not before it all comes together at the end with the live jury video and Cronje’s confession.
“I cannot tell you the huge shame that it’s caused me, the great passion I have for my country, great passion have for my teammates, and the unfortunate love I have for money…Yes I accepted money from bookmakers. Yes, I was trying to feed them information. But I promise you every time I walked onto the field, I gave my all for South Africa.
Without a doubt, this is a must watch documentary episode on one of cricket’s most polarizing figures.
Think of this as extended YouTube highlights meshed into a professionally made documentary. There are highlight packages for the casual cricket fan to enjoy – SA vs Australia (Cronje’s captaincy debut), England vs SA (The infamous double forfeited Test feat Nasser Hussain), and SA’s tour of India.
What makes this a beautiful heartfelt documentary is the first hand experience of those closest to Cronje. How did they feel during the investigation and when he confessed? The fans and administrators were crushed for sure, but what is so revealing in the documentary is how his trusted friends and family felt.
I even had a couple of teardrops at the end. Keep a tissue nearby while watching this. Emotions Galore.
How will History Judge Hansie Cronje and Life Lessons We All Can Learn From Him
We can now reflect on South Africa’s readmission to cricket. 30 years on, wounds have not healed. They may have even become exacerbated. With Quinton de Kock & the knee affair in the T20 World Cup, the quota system, and racist allegations within the team surfacing in recent hearings, the fabric of South African cricket society is unraveling. The documentary hints that even though Cronje was a symbol of unity, he did pressure Herschelle Gibbs & Henry Williams, players of mixed and colored origin.
When the match-fixing saga happened, I was too little to remember anything. Later when I grew up, I always had a negative image of Cronje.
Objectively, Cronje damaged international cricket’s credibility and hurt fans all around the world.
However, what this documentary revealed to me is that there are several layers to consider before making a naive judgment. Hansie Cronje (and for that matter, Mohammad Azharuddin) were influential cultural icons of their time, beyond cricket.
Hansie Cronje was human. Humans have flaws. He confessed that he always gave it his all for the country, but money got the better of him. And that was his Achilles’ heel.
His brother mentioned towards the end that although South Africans have been through a lot, they are a forgiving society especially in context of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. Politicians with criminal background have been forgiven and are now parliamentary members.
Forgiveness is an important life lesson in all of this. At the end of the day, we can only come together and live peacefully, both internally and externally, if we forgive.
Will history forgive Hansie Cronje? Will you?
I will leave you all with this quote.
“Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.”
– Martin luther king jr.
Who Was Hansie Cronje?
Hansie Cronje was without doubt one of the greatest captains in cricket, especially for South Africa. You probably remember the semi-final drama that ended South Africa’s WC dreams under his captaincy, but he was much more than that. Here are some stats and figures.
Born: 25 September, 1969
Died: 1 January, 2002 (32 years old)
Hansie Cronje Stats
Tests: 68 matches, 3714 runs, best of 135, 36.41 average, 100s/50s – 6/23, 43 wickets, Best Inn – 3/14, Best Match – 5/34
Captained: 53 Tests, Won 27, Lost 11
ODIs: 188 matches, 5565 runs, best of 112, 38.64 average, 100s/50s – 2/39, 114 wickets, Best – 5/32
Captained: 138 ODIs, 99 Wins, 1 Tie
Most consecutive matches as captain of an ODI Team (130 ODIs – and you guessed it right, the 2nd on this list is none other than Mohammad Azharuddin)
Test series win in India
Test series victory against all countries not named Australia
South Africa Vs England Quick Review – South Africa outclass tournament favorite’s England.
The last game of Group 1, South Africa knew exactly what they needed to do. After posting 189, the equations were as follows:
If England were restricted:
England < 87: England crash out & both SA/Aus go through
87 < England < 131: Both Eng/SA go through; Australia out
England > 87: South Africa crash out & Eng/Aus qualify
As it turns out, the third situation happened. South Africa won handsomely against the #1 team, won 4 out of the 5, and did not qualify for the semi-finals.
Moments of The Day: Van der Dussen-Markam, Rabada’s Hat-Trick In a Close Game
South Africa batted intelligently. They adjusted to the pitch beautifully. Quinton de Kock and Rassie van der Dussen brought out their sweeps and reverse sweeps to negate Adil Rashid. While most people thought that South Africa are playing too conservatively, they were only trying to conserve their wickets.
After de Kock got out, in came Aiden Markram with Dussen set. Then, came the acceleration. Markram’s 54* (25) with four sixes and Rassie’s 94*, highest score for a South African in a T20I WC, meant that South Africa scored 119 runs in the last 10. Chris Woakes and Mark Wood got hammered.
Although South Africa could not keep England down to 131 with Buttler-Roy starting in aggressive fashion, Shamsi slowed them down. Wickets started to tumble, pressure started to build. Then, came in the out-of-form Liam Livingstone and smacked Kagiso Rabada for 3 humongous consecutive sixes. At the end, with 14 needed off the last over, Rabada claimed a T20 WC hat-trick, all batters caught in the deep, to deliver South Africa a thrilling victory.
Broken Cricket Dream of the Day: Jason Roy
Jason Roy was injured midway in the 2019 CWC campaign, and again, he hobbled when England were 38/0. It was so bad that he needed a couple of people on the side to help him walk. At the end of the game, he was seen in crutches. It might be the end of the road for Jason Roy.
England have now lost Tymal Mills, Jason Roy along with Ben Stokes & Jofra Archer before the world cup had begun.
Jason Roy may have played his last game of the #T20WorldCup
T20 World Cup Points Table, Most Runs, Wickets, Catches, Dismissals
No need to go elsewhere for thePoints Table, Highest Run Scorer, Highest Wicket Taker, Most Catches, and Most Dismissals. We will keep updating it in every article!
Image Courtesy: Graphic (original work), Kyle Coetzer – Photo by Francois Nel-ICC/ICC via Getty Images, Mahmudullah – Photo by Mike Hewitt-ICC/ICC via Getty Images
Toss: South Africa won the toss and chose to field first.
Venue: Zayed Cricket Stadium, Abu Dhabi, UAE
Umpires: Paul Reiffel & Richard Illingworth
What Actually Happened
Winner: South Africa won by 6 wickets
Scores: Bangladesh 84/10 South Africa 86/4
Player of the Match:Kagiso Rabada 3/20
Best Figures
Anrich Nortje (3.2-0-8-3)
Taskin Ahmed (4-0-18-2)
Most Runs
Mahedi Hasan 27 (25)
Temba Bavuma 31* (28)
Moments of The Day:
Kagiso Rabada & Anrich Nortje are back. The duo had captured the imagination for the Delhi Capitals. Although Nortje has been in form, Rabada has been off color for the past two years. Today a combined figures of 7.2-0-28-6 totally destroyed Bangladesh.
South Africa felt the nerves at 33/3 in 6 overs. However Rassie van der Dussen 22 (27) & captain Bavuma 31* (28) ensured stable victory.
Taskin Ahmed has been the only bright spot for Bangladesh in this poor tournament. He has looked faster and stronger after bursting onto the scene in 2015 and disappearing for a couple of years after that.
Broken Cricket Dream of the Day: Bangladesh Are Having a Horror Tournament
This is now their 4th consecutive loss and 5th in 7 games this tournament. The pitch was slow enough if their batters could have mustered around 130-150, but 84 is not going to win you games. Not even in T10 cricket.
T20 World Cup Points Table, Most Runs, Wickets, Catches, Dismissals
No need to go elsewhere for thePoints Table, Highest Run Scorer, Highest Wicket Taker, Most Catches, and Most Dismissals. We will keep updating it in every article!
Image Courtesy: Graphic (original work), Kyle Coetzer – Photo by Francois Nel-ICC/ICC via Getty Images, Mahmudullah – Photo by Mike Hewitt-ICC/ICC via Getty Images
Moments of The Day: Hasaranga’s Hat-Trick, Miller-Rabada’s Finishing Defines Close Game
Pathum Nissanka has been one of the most promising names in Sri Lanka’s domestic circuit, boasting a first class average of 64.45 & scoring his first ton within 4 Tests. With this 72, I am glad he has transferred his talent in T20Is.
Temba Bavuma has been under scrutiny ever since his Test debut and more so, since captaincy. His 46 (46) might not look inspiring, but in this World T20, each team needs a middle order batter that can grind it out. Also his leadership with the QDK saga has been brilliant. Supporting his teammate all the way, while standing up for the movement at the same time.
Let us talk about David Miller. In 2018 & 2020, he averaged 20.16 with 113.08 SR and 25.00 average at 120.48 SR respectively. He had a good 2019, which kept him in the team but he is flourishing this year – 46.50 at 148.80. This match with the World Cup on the line, he struck two of the cleanest sixes of the World Cup, with Rabada hitting the last 4 to give South Africa a close victory. Miller’s career phases- Killer Miller, Accumulator Miller, Gone Miller….and the Old Miller is back!
Broken Cricket Dream of the Day: Can SL Keep Playing the Same Brand of Cricket?
SL are one of the only countries playing a positive brand of Cricket regardless of the situation. The attitude helped them win 4 in 4, but with 2 consecutive losses including a close one here might dent their confidence. Can they continue in a similar fashion?
Also Read:
T20 World Cup Points Table, Stat Alert
No need to go elsewhere for the Points Table, Highest Run Scorer, Highest Wicket Taker, Most Catches, and Most Dismissals. We will keep updating it in every article!
Image Courtesy: Graphic (original work), Kyle Coetzer – Photo by Francois Nel-ICC/ICC via Getty Images, Mahmudullah – Photo by Mike Hewitt-ICC/ICC via Getty Images
