- Name: South Africa
- Captain: Temba Bavuma
- Head Coach: Mark Boucher
- Squad members: 15+3
- Best result: Semi finalists in 2009, 2014
- WT20 2016 result: Group stage
Since the time I started watching cricket as a young kid, I don’t remember having seen South Africa walk away with any sort of silverware at the highest level. Always packed with super talented players, the team earned the tag of ‘chokers’ for being unable to move past the semi final stages of knockout events. They’ve made the semi finals of two editions of the ICC T20 World Cup but this time, they’ve not even got a strong squad.
SEE ALSO: List of top online sports betting websites
The team is clearly in a transition phase now, with no signs of AB de Villiers ever making a comeback again. Being led by Temba Bavuma who wasn’t even assured a place in the side a year ago, the team will have to punch way above its weight if they want to make some noise at the 2021 ICC T20 World Cup in UAE and Oman. After a run of poor form himself, Bavuma will be happy with 38* and 72 coming in his last two international games.
While ABD is retired, Faf du Plessis certainly isn’t and leaving him out of South Africa’s T20 World Cup squad was one of the most ridiculous calls I could imagine. Since the decision of him being left out, Faf has displayed some amazing form with a career-best T20 score and century coming in CPL 2021 and then 547 runs in 15 games (prior to final) coming in IPL 2021 which includes 5 fifties for Chennai Super Kings. The side may be found wanting slightly in the batting department.
SEE ALSO: List of fantasy sports websites in India
However, let’s look at some of the batting hopes they have. Quinton de Kock at the top will obviously be a regular run getter while there’s Aiden Markram in the middle order who I think will be a major contributor in this 2021 T20 World Cup. Why?! He looked super comfortable on tough batting pitches, every time he came out to bat for PBKS in the IPL 2021 in UAE. Rassie van der Dussen isn’t your ideal T20 batter but he’s got an average of 36+ and knows how to score consistently.
They also have youngster Reeza Hendricks and we think he’ll be playing the role of the smasher right at the top with QdK. And to finish things off in the death overs, there’s David Miller but he’s actually not got any big runs for quite a few months now. Someone who may not be a part of the first-choice playing eleven is Heinrich Klaasen but he’s a great player of spin and if needed, he could come in for Miller in the middle.
The saving grace for South Africa may be their bowling attack. They’ve got two of the most lethal pace bowlers in the Rabada-Nortje duo while the likes of Lungi Ngidi and Dwaine Pretorius just makes it stronger. Rabada had a very mediocre IPL 2021 for Delhi Capitals but Anrich Nortje was on top of his game, bowling on-pace deliveries while everyone else was doing the opposite. In three consecutive games, his last over went for less than 6 runs in their IPL 2021 campaign.
South Africa – T20 World Cup 2021 Betting
Only recently having made his T20I debut (where he picked a wicket with his first ball), Keshav Maharaj is likely to make it to the playing eleven as well, because he’s a big turner of the ball and can bowl in the powerplay overs as well. In 3 T20Is so far in his career, he’s got 3 wickets and an unbelievable economy rate of 4.22. Tabraiz Shamsi will surely be more expensive than that but he’s a wicket-taking option and we reckon these two spinners will play alongside Rabada, Nortje and Pretorius.
There’s an added spin option in Bjorn Fortuin who has also been very miserly while picking up regular wickets in his short international career so far, but he may not make the cut immediately in this 2021 T20 World Cup. What they lack is a genuine all-rounder and hence dropping Andile Phehlukwayo (who’s in reserves) may not have been the best bet. Wiaan Mulder is the closest they have to an all-rounder right now!
SOUTH AFRICA T20 World Cup 2021 squad: Temba Bavuma (C), Aiden Markram, Keshav Maharaj, Quinton de Kock, Bjorn Fortuin, Reeza Hendricks, Heinrich Klaasen, David Miller, Wiaan Mulder, Lungi Ngidi, Anrich Nortje, Dwaine Pretorius, Kagiso Rabada, Tabraiz Shamsi, Rassie van der Dussen. RESERVES: Andile Phehlukwayo, George Linde, Lizaad Williams.
While they’re certainly not the best team in the tournament, they’re capable of pulling off some surprise victories. In fact, South Africa will be high on confidence because they’re coming off a low-scoring 3-0 series victory in Sri Lanka, prior to which they also completed another 3-0 whitewash against Ireland, both in away locations. They have some tough opponents lined up here in the Super 12 though, in Australia, England and West Indies.
For more updates on South Africa’s progress in this 2021 T20 World Cup, stay tuned to ReadScoops.com…
Register on 10Cric and get INR 10,000 first deposit bonus for online sports betting
