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.
— Broken Cricket Dreams Cricket Blog (@cricket_broken) October 2, 2022
Now, calls have come for his axe on the eve of the 2022 T20 World Cup following his horrid series against India where he scored 0(4), 0(7), and 0(8) while Hendricks sat on the sidelines. Although he led South Africa courageously in the 2021 T20 World Cup and handled Quinton de Kock during tough times, an average of 23.54 with 116.49 strike rate is way below par for a modern T20 opening batter.
Although Bavuma has rightly faced criticism, there has been lots of slander and accusations that he is only in the XI to fulfill the quota. We will explore this and debunk some myths.
Quota System in South African Cricket: The Complete Guide
*Disclaimer: I am trying to learn about this from an outsider’s point of view. Hence, this research is conducted through official documents from the South African cricket board with the hope of an unbiased analysis.
“Transformation is defined as a process describing the establishment of a sport system focused on the principles of Human capital development, equitable resource distribution, elimination of all inequalities, increased access to participation opportunities, skill and capability development at all levels and in all areas of activity, empowerment of the individual, respect for each other, fair and just behavior, innovation to give South Africa a competitive edge in world sport.”
In the SA cricket board’s 2021 Integrated Report, they further elaborate that “Transformation is about improved access, fair opportunity and support for all South Africans, within and beyond the boundaries of the cricket field.”
Key Points on Quota & Selections
The document provides an insight into how transformation targets play an part in South African cricket’s selection. Here is a brief summary with quotes from the official document. Some interesting finds.
“It is expected that the selection committee will play its role in ensuring that transformation is aggressively achieved at all levels without compromising the principle of selecting the best team based on current form and the pitch or game conditions.
“When selection between two players is debatable and neither is a clear choice (e.g. both have similar track records and ability), where relevant, preferencemust be given to the player of colour.“
“In measuring our transformation progress, the panel will be measured on a season average basis rather than on a match-by-match basis.”
“Special attention must be given to the development and the creation of opportunities to play black African cricketers at all levels”
“We acknowledge that transformation ins not progressing as fast as it could.”
South African Cricket Transformation Target: The Rules
The South Africa cricket reservation targets must be met as per the Eminent Persons Group (EPG) scorecard projections. By the latest transformation targets, on average about 6 players of color, including 2 black African cricketers should be in the playing XI.
Not only that, but the transformation target is also implemented all throughout South Africa’s cricketing system, from age-level groups to senior internationals.
Here is a truncated version of the projections for the men’s cricket team for the next decade.
Quota Projections
Team (Men’s)
Forecast December 2022 % Black African
Forecast December 2026% Black African
Forecast December 2030 % Black African
Senior International Team
24%
28%
32%
South Africa A/Emerging/U-19
27-29%
32-33%
34-35%
SA School & Colts
31%
35%
37%
U-17 National Camp
31%
35%
37&
Team (Men’s)
Forecast December 2022 % Generic Black
Forecast December 2026% Generic Black
Forecast December 2030 % Generic Black
Senior International Team
50%
56%
60%
South Africa A/Emerging/U-19
50-55%
56-60%
60-64%
SA School & Colts
52%
57%
62%
U-17 National Camp
52%
58%
62&
So, how does the South Africa cricket team reservation work?
For South Africa’s senior men team, in 2022, 24% of the players should be Black Africans while 50% overall should be colored.
This means about 2-3 Black African players and 5-6 colored members should be in the XI, while the corresponding figures are 3-4 Black African and 7-8 colored in the squad of 15.
By 2030, the figures will rise to 32% and 60% respectively i.e. the South African XI may need to have an average of 7 colored players (3-4 Black Africans).
Interesting Observations
One thing to note is that consistently in junior level cricket, the transformation target percentages are a lot higher than the international requirement. This definitely sheds a light on the focus of changing the system from the grassroots level and hoping to have an impact in the international level down the road.
The SA20 has no transformation targets (this could be a cause of conflict in the future. If the homegrown South African T20 league does not have transformation requirement since it is in the franchise model, why should the other parts of SA cricket have it? This may have been a factor in no interest for Bavuma in the SA20 auction).
What Happens if Transformation Targets are not Fulfilled by South African Cricket?
According to South African cricket’s Integrated Report 2020/21, here is what happens if guidelines are not followed.
Risks: “Non-adherence to CSA undertakings with the Minister of Sport, Arts, and Culture on transformation in cricket can lead to a withdrawal of privileges accorded to National Federations.“
Required Actions to Improve Performance: “Tranche payments linked to performance; CSA monitoring and evaluation to improve access and redress.”
To demonstrate how detailed the transformation targets are, here are the results from the 2020/21 selection report statistics.
Women’s Team
The Senior Women had an “on-field Black demographic representation of 48% against CSA target of 50%.” In particular,
Women’s Team
Target (2018-19)
Actual (2018-19)
Target (2019-20)
Actual (2019-20)
Black African
27%
26%
24%
20%
Black
54%
47%
54%
47%
Among the 154 selections for the women’s team, the proportions were
Women’s ODIs: 45 White, 22 Black African, 8 Colored, 13 Indian
Women’s T20Is: 35 White, 21 Black African, 4 Colored, 6 Indian
Men’s Team
The Proteas Men met their Black African player target for EPG 2020 – but did not meet is Black target.
Men’s Team
Target (2018-19)
Actual (2018-19)
Target (2019-20)
Actual (2019-20)
Black African
25%
22%
22%
23%
Black
60%
49%
50%
44%
South African Contracted Players
From the 16 nationally contracted players, the proportion is: 8 White, 2 Colored, 4 – Black African, 2 – Indian. 116 selections (62%) of all the 187 selections came from these contracted players. The other 71 selections (38%) came from 16 non-contracted – 10 White, 3 Colored, 3 Black African, 0 Indian. In particular,
Men’s T20I: 59 White, 24 Black African, 17 Colored, 10 Indian
So Where Does South Africa’s 2022 T20 World Cup Squad Stand?
So let’s get back to the question at the beginning. Where does Temba Bavuma fit in this conversation?
The World Cup squad has 3 Black Africans, 8 White, and 7 Colored players.
Black African: Temba Bavuma, Lungi Ngidi, Kagiso Rabada
Colored: Reeza Hendricks, Wayne Parnell
Indian: Keshav Maharaj, Tabraiz Shamsi
White: Quinton de Kock, Heinrich Klassen, Aiden Markram, David Miller, Anrich Nortje, Rilee Rossouw, Tristan Stubbs, Marco Jansen
Can South Africa Afford to Drop Temba Bavuma?
In short, yes…if they play both Lungi Ngidi & Kagiso Rabada.
South Africa’s quota concern for the upcoming world cup is NOT Temba Bavuma. Instead, it may be how to balance the bowlers.
With Quinton de Kock-Rilee Rossouw-Aiden Markram-David Miller-Tristan Stubbs, South Africa have a very stable and explosive core of batters. Since no adjustment can be made in the middle order, SA will have to fit all their colored players in the bowling line up. For example, in the India vs South Africa ODI, they went with a bowling line up Parnell, Maharaj, Rabada, Shamsi, and Ngidi (which is all good for now since they are in decent form).
In conclusion, regardless of SA’s choice to play Bavuma or Hendricks, the quota is not impacted. However, with Parnell, Ngidi, and Rabada almost certainties, Nortje & Jansen might be in the sidelines.
None of this actually matters since the first tenet of the transformation goals is to select the best team on the day and the targets will be calculated on average at the end of the season.
Should South Africa Drop Temba Bavuma?
It is never a good sign to drop a captain on the eve of a World Cup, so Bavuma should still be in the squad for sure. However, it may still be good to give Reeza Hendricks some game time since he was in red-hot form.
It may be worth dropping Bavuma down the order and play him as an insurance policy to stem the flow of wickets in case of a collapse rather than as an opening batter.
2015 World Cup Semi-Final, Kyle Abbott, & Vernon Philander
The quota system is South African cricket came into focus on March 24, 2015. South Africa crashed out of the World Cup due to Grant Elliot heroics.
Thriller of a game, but so near, yet so far for the Proteas yet again.
In the days to come, news came of the internal politics. Although SA had been fielding up to 5 players of color in the early matches (Amla, Duminy, Philander, Tahir, Behardien). However due to injuries, only 3 players were fielded including in the Quarter Finals, where South Africa crushed Sri Lanka by 9 wickets.
Instead of going with an unchanged XI, Vernon Philander (injured in the prior couple of games) replaced Kyle Abbott, who had a good tournament till that point. Later, it was revealed that the South African administrators called the coach/captain and interfered with the selection process.
This broke the team apart and unraveled the heights of the 2007-2015. Kyle Abbott took a Kolpak deal, while Philander retired early. Philander, himself is quoted that there are no hard feelings between him and Abbott.
“When I go to Durban, I have a beer with Kyle. There are no hard feelings between us two. But the point is: Cricket SA must sort out their stuff. What happened was a knock to both of us.”
Where Does South African Cricket Go from Here?
Kevin Pietersen’s exodus to England had already signaled for things to come due to unofficial quotas in the early days. However, South African cricket’s success had hidden the internal conflicts under the carpet.
The Khaya Zondo case revealed that several black African cricketers were picked, but only to ‘make up the numbers and carry the drinks.’ Michael Holding in his conversation with Makhaya Ntini expressed in the SJN hearings how secluded Ntini felt. Kagiso Rabada has been over bowled and not rested/rotated because he ticks the boxes and is really good.
From Faf du Plessis’ “we don’t see color,’ to AB de Villiers’ captaincy hesitations to the SJN hearings, Black Lives Matters, kneeling, etc., the matter is more complex than it seems from the outside.
Is the Transformation Quota System the way to go for South African cricket?
South Africa is not the only country to combat this issue. In the United States, Affirmative Action & India’s reservations with the Mandal Commission have similarly been implemented and received backlash at some point or time or another.
In my own analysis, I did not like treating human beings as statistics and separating them by categories. I am sure as the years go by the implementation will become less strict as equal opportunities would create more organically grown diverse players.
So, is the quota system the best way to go for South African cricket?
I’m not in the best way to answer that, but in order to reverse the prejudice of centuries of discrimination, systematic and grassroots changes are indeed needed.
What do you think about the quota system in South African cricket?
Sources and Further Reading on Quota System in South African Cricket
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) – Quota System in South African Cricket
What is the quota system in South African?
As of 2022, 2 players of black African ethnicity and 6 colored players need to be fielded in the XI (on average).
Does South Africa cricket team have reservation policy?
Yes, the South African cricket team has a reservation policy to meet transformation targets. The men’s South African team has a target of 22% Black African and 20% Black cricketers in their squads and XIs.
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
$15,235
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.
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
West Indies Vs South Africa Quick Review — Bowlers and Reeza-Rassie-Markram take South Africa home as West Indies stagnant.
Quinton de Kock’s absence the talk of the town. What do you think? Comment below on your thoughts regarding QDK and the mandate by cricket South Africa regarding BLM movement.
Aiden Markram 51* (26), Rassie van der Dussen 43* (51), Reeza Hendricks 39* (30)
Broken Cricket Dream of the Day: West Indies Get Simmoned
Lendl Simmons has been one of the stars for West Indies for a decade. Even though he has been in and out, he has played some important knocks like in the 2016 Cricket World Cup semi-final.
Today, though, was not his day. Like really. After West Indies were out for 55 against England, WI needed an anchor, but 16 (35) without any boundaries is not inspiring stuff. He could not Tewatia out of this situation, unfortunately.
Moments of The Day: Bowlers, Markram Take South Africa Home
Simmons was slow due to disciplined South African bowling with Rabada (4-0-27-1), Nortje (4-0-14-1), Maharaj (4-0-24-2), and Pretorius (2-0-17-3). Only Shamsi, their best T20I bowler, was expensive.
South Africa’s top order made sure there were no hiccups after Buman’s early run-out. Reeza Hendricks took the challenge as QDK’s replacement with a 39 (30). After the strong start, van der Dussen and Aiden Markram changed the game. While Rassie was the anchor, it was Markram’s 51 (26) with 4 sixes that took them home.
The Elephant in the Room: Quinton de Kock Controversy
Temba Bavuma contended that today was the most difficult day of his captaincy due to off the field stories.
We will break this down in three parts: (1) How it began, (2) What prompted QDK’s actions, and (3) his recent apology.
How It Began
South Africa has had a tough history to contend with. Apartheid, cricket suspension, transformations, quota, and the 2015 World Cup Semi-Final. This year, the hearings from former South African colored players and Mark Boucher’s inner rooms racist pasts have unraveled South African cricket even further.
To honor the Black Lives Matter moment, most teams were taking a knee unanimously. However, in South Africa’s first game, the reaction was not unified – knees, fists, or no reaction.
While Quinton de Kock and his friends are refusing to kneel, other people are kneeling at the #T20WorldCup.
Just a few hours before the game, Cricket South Africa mandated each player requiring them to take the knee. This unsettled Quinton de Kock, after which he made himself ‘unavailable for personal reasons.’
Reeza Hendricks replaced him as a keeper and Klassen as a keeper. Social media went against QDK, calling him a racist.
Several questions here – (1) Was it right for Quinton de Kock to give up on the team right regardless of the reason? End of QDK’s international career? Supporting a movement is okay, but requiring an action – is that a bit too much? After all, not saying anything is freedom of speech/expression in itself.
🇿🇦 Cricket South Africa believes success both on the field and beyond the boundary will be guaranteed if all South Africans stand united to build a new innings based on the pillars of inclusivity, access and excellence.
Quinton de Kock presented a heartfelt statement (if you have not read it yet, please read the 3 pages below). He has agreed to take the knee if it educates the public in a positive manner and furthermore,
I love every one of my teammates…Bavuma is a flipping amazing leader….if he/team/South Africa will have me, I would love nothing more than to play for my country again.”
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!
Musfiqur Rahim – 135 runs (Bangladesh, 5 Matches)
Shakib Al Hasan – 11 wickets (Bangladesh, 4 Matches)
Calum MacLeod – 6 catches (Scotland, 5 Matches)
Nurul Hasan, Matthew Cross (Bangladesh/Scotland) – 5 dismissals
Group 1 Table
Teams
Played
Won
Lost
Tied No-Result
Points
Net Run Rate
1. England
2
2
0
0
4
+ 3.614
2. Sri Lanka
1
1
0
0
2
+ 0.583
3. Australia
1
1
0
0
2
+ 0.253
4. South Africa
2
1
1
0
2
+ 0.179
5. Bangladesh
2
0
2
0
0
– 1.655
6. West Indies
2
0
2
0
0
– 2.550
T20 World Cup 2021 Group 1 Points Table
Group 2 Table
Teams
Played
Won
Lost
Tied No-Result
Points
Net Run Rate
1. Pakistan
2
2
0
0
4
+ 0.738
2. Afghanistan
1
1
0
0
2
+ 6.500
3. Namibia
1
0
1
0
2
+ 0.550
4. New Zealand
1
0
1
0
0
– 0.532
5. India
1
0
1
0
0
– 0.973
6. Scotland
2
0
0
0
2
– 3.562
T20 World Cup 2021 Group 2 Points Table
Also, if you have not yet read our T20 World Cup Previews, here is a list of all of them! Check them out and share ahead:
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: Australia won the toss and chose to field first.
Venue: Zayed Cricket Stadium, Abu Dhabi, UAE
Umpires: Michael Gough & Nitin Menon
What Actually Happened
Winner: Australia won by 5 wickets
Scores: South Africa 118/9 – Australia 121/5
Player of the Match: Josh Hazlewood 2/19
Best Figures
Josh Hazlewood (4-1-19-2), Adam Zampa (4-0-21-2)
Anrich Nortje (4-0-21-2)
Most Runs
Aiden Markram – 40 (36)
Steven Smith – 35 (34)
Moments of The Day: Fast Bowlers Shine As Smith, Finishers Save Australia
Fast Bowlers have a say in both innings – Hazlewood bagged the player of the match award with Starc (2/24) and Cummins (4-0-17-1). Nortje (2/21) & Rabada (1/28) with good figures from Australia as well.
The core of the Australian T20 batting is Maxwell, Smith, and Stoinis and all three came to the party with different roles to play. Smith stabilized the innings after Australia were struggling for 38-3 & Stoinis’ 24* (16) (and Wade’s 15* (10)) finished the game off when Australia were in a precarious position. However, it was Maxwell’s measly spell of 4-0-24-1 in the PowerPlay that set the tone.
South Africa squeeze – At the halfway stage, 118/9 did not inspire much confidence. Maharaj & Shamsi continued the pressure left from Rabada-Nortje with combined figres of 8-0-45-2 and backed it up with impressive fielding. Highlight of their fielding effort was Aiden Markram’s flying catch to dismiss Steve Smith.
Broken Cricket Dream of the Day: Faf Du Plessis – Huge Gamble for South Africa?
Faf Du Plessis was in touching distance of becoming the Orange Cap holder in IPL 2021 and was literally Protea’s best player in the IPL. Additionally, the second leg of the IPL was held on the same pitches as the ongoing World Cup. With an impressive bowling line up, South Africa’s only clear weakness is the batting. Except for Quinton de Kock (who took the second game off for personal reasons) & Rassie van der Dussen, the rest of the batting does not inspire consistency. Faf will be missed in this T20 World Cup.
Who were the stars of the day? Steve Smith, Anrich Nortje, Kagiso Rabada, and Marcus Stoinis, basically the 4 foreign players that play in the Delhi Capitals XI.
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!
Mohommad Naim – 126 runs (Bangladesh, 3 Matches)
Shakib Al Hasan – 11 wickets (Bangladesh, 4 Matches)
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
