Proteas players in a huddle during their T20 World Cup match against Sri Lanka in New York earlier this week. Picture: Alex Davidson/ICC/Getty Images
Gearing up to face their bogey team, Proteas spin bowler Keshav Maharaj insists the Proteas squad aren’t feeling any additional pressure ahead of their T20 World Cup match against the Netherlands in New York on Saturday (4.30pm SA time).
At the last edition of the T20 World Cup in Australia two years ago, the Proteas were dumped out by the Netherlands after being handed a 13-run defeat in their Super 12 group.
And they fell to the Dutch side in the group stages of last year’s 50-over World Cup, with the men in orange again punching above their weight against their fancied opponents.
While they defeated Sri Lanka in their opening match of the ongoing showpiece at Nassau County Stadium earlier in the week, the Proteas cannot afford to slip up against the Netherlands again, in a World Cup group which also includes giant killers Bangladesh.
Maharaj, however, said they were confident of picking up their second victory of the tournament as they set their sights on the next round.
“We’ve got a new regime of coaches and things so they’ve brought fresh ideas to the table, and the boys are ready to go,” said Maharaj, who took 2/22 against Sri Lanka.
“I think we come with a lot of confidence from the previous game, but this is a new game so we’re going back to the drawing board and repeating our processes and plans, and hopefully it’s enough to take on the Netherland team.”
Maharaj felt they had enough positives to take from their win over Sri Lanka, and now they hoped to build momentum in their second Group D match as they aimed to take another step forward in their attempt to lift a maiden World Cup trophy.
“It was obviously really exciting getting the first one out the way. We put in a good technical performance in difficult conditions and we found a way through it, which was really important,” said the experienced spinner.
“I think the way we stuck to processes during the game was outstanding and hopefully that continues into our next match against the Netherlands.”
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