Bengaluru: South Africa, who often come to World Cups with heavy expectations before succumbing to the familiar bout of nerves at the knockout stages, will be hoping to finally change that script but it all depends on how well they overcome the controversy of team selection.
Soon after the Proteas’ selectors announced a strong 15-man squad for the showpiece event, an outrage erupted as only one black player — Kagiso Rabada — was chosen. As per a policy introduced in 2016, a minimum of six coloured players had to be fielded in 11-man team with at least two of them being black Africans.
While the squad did feature five mixed race and/or Asian origin players, the presence of just one black player drew plenty of criticism.
Such controversies are never the right way to prepare for a World Cup and South Africa, ranked seventh in the world, were definitely bogged by it, losing 3-0 to West Indies in a bilateral series. It’s not just the series defeat but the manner in which they lost all the games — almost humbled — that will rankle them.
Having said that, South Africa have some of the finest T20 players who can turn the tide and potentially land the elusive World Cup. In Quinton de Kock, Heinrich Klaasen, David Miller and Tristan Stubbs they have explosiveness in batting, in Keshav Maharaj and Tabraiz Shamsi they have two good spinners and in Anrich Nortje and Kagiso Rabada they have firepower in pace bowling. If all the units click together, Protea fire could be hot to handle.
Bangladesh and Sri Lanka, two sides who could be vying for the second spot from the group, have not had great build-up as well. Bangladesh lost 2-1 to minnows United States in a warm-up series while Sri Lanka lost to fellow group-mates Netherlands in a warm-up game. Sri Lanka though will not read too much into that defeat as they have a fairly decent side whichcould thrive in the Caribbean conditions. It’s a squad with a lot of young talent and they will be desperate to make a mark.
Looking to spring a surprise, like they mostly do in ICC events, will be the Netherlands. Here’s a fact, Netherlands have a never lost to South Africa in a World Cup affair (2022 T20 and 2023 ODI) and if the Oranje repeat that on June 8 in New York, things will get interesting.
Squads: South Africa: Aiden Markram (c), Ottniel Baartman, Gerald Coetzee, Quinton de Kock, Bjorn Fortuin, Reeza Hendricks, Marco Jansen, Heinrich Klaasen, Keshav Maharaj, David Miller, Anrich Nortje, Kagiso Rabada, Ryan Rickelton, Tabraiz Shamsi, Tristan Stubbs.
Bangladesh: Najmul Hossain Shanto (c), Taskin Ahmed (vc), Litton Das, Soumya Sarkar, Tanzid Hasan Tamim, Shakib Al Hasan, Tawhid Hridoy, Mahmud Ullah Riyad, Jaker Ali Anik, Tanvir Islam, Shak Mahedi Hasan, Rishad Hossain, Mustafizur Rahman, Shoriful Islam, Tanzim Hasan Sakib.
Sri Lanka: Wanindu Hasaranga (c), Charith Asalanka, Kusal Mendis, Pathum Nissanka, Kamindu Mendis, Sadeera Samarawickrama, Angelo Mathews, Dasun Shanaka, Dhananjaya De Silva, Maheesh Theekshana, Dunith Wellalage, Dushmantha Chameera, Nuwan Thushara, Matheesha Pathirana, Dilshan Madushanka.
Nepal: Rohit Paudel (c), Aasif Sheikh, Anil Kumar Sah, Kushal Bhurtel, Kushal Malla, Dipendra Singh Airee, Lalit Rajbanshi, Karan KC, Gulshan Jha, Sompal Kami, Pratis GC, Sundeep Jora, Abinash Bohara, Sagar Dhakal, Kamal Singh Airee.
Netherlands: Scott Edwards (c), Aryan Dutt, Bas de Leede, Daniel Doram, Fred Klaassen, Logan van Beek, Max O'Dowd, Michael Levitt, Paul van Meekeren, Sybrand Engelbrecht, Teja Nidamanuru, Tim Pringle, Vikram Singh, Viv Kingma, Wesley Barresi.