Review: SA20 players star in ICC T20 World Cup (week 1)

SA20 PLAYERS LIGHT UP T20 WORLD CUP

The first four days of the T20 World Cup Super-12 stage was a showcase for much of the talent which will be on display in South Africa when the SA20 begins on 10 January 2023, just 56 days after the final at the MCG on 13 November.

England allrounder Sam Curran led the way with a remarkable 5-10 in his new role as a ‘death’ bowler as Afghanistan were bundled out for a mere 112. His captain, Paarl Royals star Jos Buttler, contributed a run-a-ball 18 to the run chase which was successfully finished by MI Capetonian Liam Livingstone with an unbeaten 29 as England won by five wickets.

Leg spin legend, Rashid Khan, who will also play for MI Cape Town, delivered a typically miserly spell of 1-17 in his four overs.

Two more SA20 players featured prominently in Sri Lanka’s convincing nine-wicket victory against Ireland with Jo’burg Super Kings mystery spinner Maheesh Theekshana’s (2-19) helping restrict the Irish to 128-8 before Pretoria Capitals Kusal Mendis lashed an unbeaten 68 from just 43 balls to win with five overs to spare.

Theekshana was less successful in Sri Lanka’s second game against Australia with 1-23 in three overs as the hosts bounced back from their mauling by New Zealand with a comprehensive seven-wicket victory.

Another Capitals star, Jimmy Neesham, lashed two sixes in an unbeaten 26 from just 13 balls during New Zealand’s total of 200-3 but wasn’t required with the ball as the Black Caps humbled the tournament hosts, bowled out for 111 in just 17.1 overs.

South Africa’s first game at the World Cup finished in a disappointing washout against Zimbabwe denying most of their SA20 stars the chance to shine but not before Quinton de Kock produced a dazzling cameo of 47 not out from just 18 balls as the Proteas attempted to chase down a modest target before the rain intervened.

In a game reduced to nine overs per side, Wayne Parnell (2-0-6-1) and Anrich Nortje (2-0-10-1), who will play together for the Capitals in January, were superb at the top and bottom of the truncated innings and de Kock, who will represent the Durban Super Giants, smashed eight fours and a six before the rain in Hobart left South Africa just 13 runs short of victory.