(AP Photo)
South Africa is set to face Afghanistan in the first semifinal of the ICC T20 World Cup 2024, scheduled for Thursday at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy in Trinidad and Tobago.
The Proteas, often labeled as chokers due to their repeated failures in the crucial stages of ICC tournaments, now have a prime chance to win their first World Cup. They are just two matches away from securing a historic title.
South Africa’s coach, Rob Walter, mentioned that everyone back home and in the team is dreaming of finally lifting an elusive ICC trophy.
“Definitely it’s always great to dream and I think everyone in South Africa dreams of the time when a trophy gets lifted. No doubt that will happen. Whether it’s going to be this week, that remains to be seen,” Walter said.
“We’re just going to try and play the best game of cricket that we can. And we still haven’t played our best game yet,” he added.
They have navigated their way to the final four of the T20 showcase in the Caribbean, enduring several close calls along the way. As they prepare for the semifinal clash, they appear well-prepared and in strong form.
“From the closeness point of view, yeah, we’ve managed to get over the line in quite a number of close games in the lead up to the semifinal, which for a team has been great for us,” the 48-year-old added.
“We’ve potentially missed out on a few of those moments in the past, and this time around we managed to get over the line. So, we certainly take confidence out of that.
“We still want to play our best cricket in the key moments of the game tomorrow,” he stated.
Since their return to international cricket in 1992, following the apartheid ban, the Proteas have often stumbled at the penultimate hurdle. However, Walter believes that much has changed within the team compared to the near-misses of the past.
Look, I said, the near misses in the past, they belong to the people who missed them. To be honest, this team is a different team. We own whatever is ours to own. And so, our nearest reflection point is this tournament where we’ve managed to get over the line. So that’s what we think about.”
He added that they will honor the significance of the stage given the high stakes and will remain conscious of the occasion.
“It’s never just another game. I think that sort of rhetoric around semifinals is always untrue, or people trying to downplay the occasion. Certainly, we don’t do that. It is a semifinal of a World Cup, and we appreciate that and we’re looking forward to it.”
The Proteas have had the misfortune of being eliminated at critical moments in tournaments over the years, but Walter emphasized that hard work always triumphs over luck.
“I don’t think you can win a cricket game because of luck. I think potentially a few things can go your way but there’s a few things that might not. So, skill will always trump luck, that’s for sure. So, I’d like to think that.”
Afghanistan has astonished many worldwide with their impressive journey to their first-ever semifinal, which, according to Walter, is a positive development for the sport.
“We’re seeing Afghanistan in a T20 semifinal. It’s awesome for the game of cricket. I love the way they play the game and the way they support it.”
However, he noted that the Proteas have thoroughly studied their opponents and will be well-prepared for any challenges the surprise entrants may present.
“Look, I mean, a number of their players play in a number of the leagues around the world. In this day and age, there’s not too many players where there’s no footage or no information,” he said.
“So, from an Afghanistan player point of view, we do have that sort of information. We’ve also got an entire World Cup, which they’ve also played seven games in,” Walter explained.
“So, from that point of view, we’ve had the opportunity to watch games of cricket as near as last night and then also in the different leagues that the guys have played and played together. So, we’re comfortable with our knowledge in it,” he added.
He praised the Afghan team, describing them as a well-balanced unit led by charismatic players like their outstanding captain Rashid Khan. He emphasized that their opponents are far from being a ‘one-man show.’
“I think you, yeah, you would have seen it all in the last two days. I think they are a well-rounded team. Gone are the days where there is an area of the team that is not strong. They wouldn’t be in a semi-final if that was the case,” the 48-year-old said.
“You’re talking about some world-class spinners. Everyone knows about the world-class spinners led by Rashid Khan. I mean, he’s a top-class T20 spinner anywhere in the world. So, we know about that. But as I said, it’s not a one-man show anymore. That’s for sure,” he concluded.
