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Down to the last four, destiny beckons for Proteas

general26 June 2024 09:43| © MWP
By:Neil Manthorp
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Tabriz Shamzi © Getty Images

It is easy to be critical, and the ICC often make it even easier, but the tournament has captured the global imagination after a colourful, eventful first two weeks with 20 teams, the first time the event could truly be called a ‘World’ Cup involving far more than the usual participants.

The normal measure of a tournament’s success is that the best, in-form teams reach the final stages, and that is certainly the case with India, England and Afghanistan.

The enduring irony is that South Africa have been positively ‘off-form’ for the duration so far and yet, they have a 100 per cent record having won seven out of seven. Somehow.

It is often said that ‘hard’ wins are more satisfying than ‘easy’ ones. If that is the case then the South African squad should be buzzing with joy and confidence.

Or maybe not. As admirably as they have scrapped and fought their way out of losing positions, they will know it’s time to deliver, properly.

TOP PLAYER: Jos Buttler, under intense pressure as the defending champions stumbled in the first week, kept himself and his team together during the Super Eights, coping with his triple role as opener, keeper and captain and demolished the USA with an innings of 83* from 38 balls to secure their place in the semifinals.

Aiden Markram was a close second during the Super Eights, making up for a shortage of runs with some outstanding captaincy which went a very long way towards the victories against England and the West Indies.

TOP BOWLER: A single delivery shouldn’t be sufficient to win this award but – it is. Naveen-ul-Haq’s ridiculously unplayable away swinger, from around the wicket, to Travis Head, heading down the leg-side before swerving to hit the top of off-stump, was the best ball of the tournament and set the tone for one of the most famous upsets in World Cup history and one of Afghanistan’s most memorable. He also finished with 3-20 so it wasn’t, in fact, just one ball…

TOP BATTER: Rohit Sharma and Quinton de Kock can’t be separated with Rohit, inspired by the opportunity to eliminate Australia before the knockout stages, rising to the occasion with an astonishing assault on the much-lauded Aussie attack which included 29 runs off Mitchell Starc’s opening over. Utterly mesmerising.

De Kock, too, rose to the occasion for South Africa with back-to-back man-of-the-match awards against the USA and England, covering up for a top order still faltering.

OUTSTANDING TEAM: Afghanistan. Most people who said they were ‘contenders’ before the tournament did so merely to pay tribute to their progress and the number of high-quality individuals in the squad.

They didn’t actually believe they would reach the semifinals, never mind win it.

But here they are, passionate, bristling with pride and determination and now very real contenders.

It is not Rashid Khan’s fault that only half of his country’s population are now allowed to play cricket – it will always be an asterisk to the men’s team results – but at least the captain and his players can provide some joy for his beleaguered nation.

TOP SA PLAYER: Tabraiz Shamsi. Understandably unrequired in New York on three seamer-friendly pitches, brought back for the Super-Eight game against the USA and slogged for 50 in his four overs, he was given another go in the ‘make-or-break’ match against the West Indies and delivered a man-of-the-match performance with 3-27. Nothing is ever guaranteed with wrist spin, but those with the most resilient belief prevail longer, and most often.

BEST MATCH: South Africa v England was the best contest in the tournament so far, given what was at stake. Quinton de Kock (65) took 21 off Jofra Archer’s first over but the Proteas had to settle for a middling total of 163 for six.

England looked out of it at 61 for four, recovered to 139 for four and looked favourites with 14 required from the final over with Harry Brook (53) on strike.

But Markram’s plans were on point, as was Anrich Nortje, and yet another nail-biting victory was secured by seven runs.

BEST INDIVIDUAL PERFORMANCE: Jonathan Trott and Gulbadin Naib. The Afghan head coach frantically signalled to the players on the field to “slow the game down” while rain was falling and his team were marginally ahead of Bangladesh on the DLS system, a cynical but entirely sensible approach which every other team in the tournament would have emulated in similar circumstances.

Being the ultimate team man, Gulbadin – standing at slip – suddenly collapsed in a heap clutching his hamstring. He returned 25 minutes later to claim the eighth wicket and then sprinted at least 100 metres at full speed to celebrate another famous win.

TOP TALKING POINT: It’s not just South Africans talking about whether this could be ‘their year.’ Everyone is. The Proteas are yet to play even a ‘decent’ game and yet they have won seven out of seven.

India are the only other unbeaten team having had six wins and a washout.

Could it be South Africa’s year? Could it? South Africans have heard it all before, many times.

QUOTE OF THE WEEK: “Well, he had some cramp, I don't know what happened to him and I don't know what's going on in social media but that doesn't matter,” Rashid said after the game.

“It's just an on-field injury which happens, the rain came and we just went off, it's not something [that] brought a massive difference in the game. We came back on field after five minutes and there was no massive difference. For me, it's just like a small injury happens, then you have to take some time.”

WHAT TO LOOK OUT FOR: The recriminations should India fail to get past England, who are looking very dangerous.

Also, the recriminations should India beat England. The tournament was literally designed to accommodate the insatiable Indian TV market which included guaranteeing the Indian team their semifinal venue months before the tournament started, the ultra spin-friendly Guyana.

Remember, the ICC’s quest for ultimate financial ‘maximisation’ has nothing to do with the players.

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