South Africa's Keshav Maharaj (R) celebrates with his captain Temba Bavuma after taking the wicket of Sri Lanka's captain Dasun Shanaka during the 2023 ICC Men's Cricket World Cup one-day international (ODI) match. (Photo by Money SHARMA / AFP)
Perhaps it’s a good omen the national men’s cricket team entered this year’s Cricket World Cup in India under the radar.
It’s not that Temba Bavuma’s class of 2023 is a poor team.
They have a number of match-winners within their squad and their comefrom-behind 3-2 triumph over Australia in a five-match series last month is testament to this.
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It’s just that there are many other nations that are considered to be more serious title contenders.
With the exception of our debut World Cup in 1992, the Proteas have in the past entered the World Cup as one of the frontrunners to win it.
And despite reaching four World Cup semifinals, they usually leave these tournaments in a heap, carrying the unenviable choker’s tag.
It’s something this team has accepted and embraced, and realised until they win the World Cup, they will always have to contend with talk of the choker’s tag. But back to this year’s edition.
The Proteas, mindful of starting big events slowly, certainly began with a bang, setting records in their 102-run demolition over Sri Lanka in Delhi on Saturday, after posting the biggest total in World Cup history – 428/5 courtesy of centuries from Quinton de Kock, Rassie van der Dussen and Aiden Markram.
But this is a tough World Cup and the 50-over game has evolved.
Big scores are the norm and players keep on pushing the boundaries.
It’s also a tough format, as each of the 10 teams must play each other once and only the top four teams qualify for the semifinals.
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It’s all well and good to smash record scores, but you need to consistently deliver the goods over six weeks if you want to go all the way.
Markram, who hit the fastest World Cup hundred off 49 balls on Saturday, even suggested he thought their record total would probably be beaten in this tournament.
It shows how tough winning a World Cup will be. But for now, let’s bask in the Proteas glory. Long may it continue.
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