IOL Sport - Volume 8 - October 2022

EDITOR’S NOTE

CONTENTS

COVER STORY

THE X-MAN

Young and fearless, Tristan Stubbs possesses everything and more to bring the T20 World Cup home.

Pictures: BackpagePix

ICC WORLD CUP T20 FIXTURES

05

PHOTO BOOTH

The T20 World Cup is a cricket extravaganza bar none, writes Zaahier Adams 06

The T20 World Cup tournament is heading Down Under to Australia for the first time.

08 NOISY NEIGHBOURS

Namibia will be keen to show last year’s performance in the UAE was no fluke.

THE EAGLE

Pakistan’s spearhead Shaheen Shah Afridi is fit and ready to explode in Australia.

AUSSIE, AUSSIE, AUSSIE

Australia are aiming to become the first country to win consecutive T20 World Cups.

FOLLOW THE LEADER

Temba Bavuma is the elected Proteas T20 captain and should have the support of everyone leading into the T20 World Cup.

THE X-MAN

Young and fearless, Tristan Stubbs possesses everything and more to bring the T20 World Cup home.

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Keep track of when, where and what time your favourite team is playing.

UNFINISHED BUSINESS

Rilee Rossouw believes he is a better player in his second coming for the Proteas.

THE ART OF T20 LEADERSHIP

Faf du Plessis believes a captain still has to trust his instinct out in the middle despite the avalanche of data available.

SHEIKH OF SPIN

Afghanistan superstar Rashid Khan is ready to put batters in a spin at the ICC T20 World Cup.

THE CHEVRONS ARE RISING

12

Zimbabwe are back where they belong at the summit of the world game.

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COVER:

Timothy Alexander / African News Agency (ANA)

DESIGN & PRODUCTION: Timothy Alexander / African News Agency (ANA)

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ACTING IOL SPORT DIGIMAG EDITOR: Zaahier Adams

zaahier.adams@iol.co.za

IOL SPORT LIVE EDITOR: John Goliath

ACTING EXECUTIVE

Thulani

EDITOR’S NOTE

G’DAY MATE

The T20 World Cup is almost like a London bus. It doesn’t come around for five years and then suddenly there are two in 12 months. However, as we all know, a year in cricket is equivalent to an eternity. And the Proteas are heading to Australia with a whole new set of dark clouds hovering over them.

The dramas related to Quinton de Kock that engulfed the team in the UAE and coach Mark Boucher’s future may all have been finalised, but the focus has now turned onto captain Temba Bavuma’s form and position within the team.

We tackle it head on in this edition with IOL Sport scribe Ashfak Mohamed believing Bavuma, as the elected captain of the side, should be judged on his performances Down Under. Outside of Bavuma, the Proteas though are arguably in better shape, particularly the batting unit, than they were a year ago even without the injured Rassie van der Dussen.

The return of the prodigal son Rilee Rossouw, who has “UNFINISHED BUSINESS”, has added an extra dimension to the Proteas since the departures of legends AB de Villiers and Faf du Plessis. But it is not only Rossouw’s brilliance that has Proteas fans believing that 2022 could finally be the year that the Holy Grail is returned to Mzansi.

Every so often a youngster emerges from the wilderness and that has everyone sitting on the edges of the seats in anticipation. In a short space of time Tristan Stubbs has morphed into that for the Proteas. Through the fearlessness of youth, Stubbs - still only 22 - has become South Africa’s “X-MAN” with the all-round game to be the difference in the crunch moments.

Stubbs, and the Proteas, will no doubt face fierce opposition from Pakistan’s “EAGLE” and the resilience of the home Australian team who are chasing a unique double after last year’s success in the UAE.

On a personal level, this will be the first time I won’t be covering a T20 World Cup “live” since its inception in 2007, but I will be following the progress of the Proteas in the early hours with you here back home.

PHOTO BOOTH

NOISY NEIGHBOURS

Namibia will be keen to show last year’s performance in the UAE was no fluke.

ICC

FRESH from a memorable performance at last year’s ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, Namibia are looking to build on their momentum and spring a few more surprises in Australia.

The Eagles qualified for the Super 12, beating Scotland in Group 2, in the UAE 12 months ago after coming through a tough first round group by overcoming Ireland and the Netherlands.

David Wiese will once again be a key player for Namibia if the African minnows are to repeat last year’s heroics in Australia. - AFP

They renew hostilities with the latter in the first round of this year’s competition, along with Sri Lanka and the UAE, and will be confident of repeating their 2021 display as they look to test themselves against the world’s leading nations once more.

Again led by Gerhard Erasmus, the experienced 16-man squad has a familiar look to it and Namibia will be hoping for more big performances from talisman David Wiese and paceman Ruben Trumpelmann, both of whom played key roles last time out.

Namibia Cricket chief executive Johan Muller hailed the country’s 2021 performances as having “a significant impact on interest, exposure and the growth for the game in Namibia” and they have taken steps to ensure it does not

become a flash in the pan.

A link-up with Pakistan Super League (PSL) champions Lahore Qalandars has seen four Namibian players training with the Qalandars academy while a T20 tri-series, also including South Africa’s Lions, has formed part of their World Cup preparation.

Namibia showed they are a force to be reckoned with in the shortest international format by beating Zimbabwe 3-2 in a fivematch series in May, with the same opponents and Ireland lying in wait in warm-up matches before the competitive action gets underway.

With a coaching team containing both Morkel brothers, Albie (assistant coach) and Morne (bowling consultant) supporting head coach Pierre de Bruyn,

Namibia have global tournament expertise to guide them and they will fancy their chances of advancing from the first round.

It is hard to look past Wiese as Namibia’s main man with the bat. The 37-year-old averaged 45.40 at last year’s ICC Men’s T20 World Cup and has continued to impress in short-format competitions across the globe since, striking at over 182 for Northern Superchargers in The Hundred during the English summer.

Namibia begin their Group A campaign against Sri Lanka on October 16 before taking on the Netherlands two days later, with the clash against the UAE concluding their first round fixtures on October 20. All three matches are in Geelong’s Kardinia Park.

IMAGE: AFP

THE EAGLE

Pakistan’s spearhead Shaheen Shah Afridi is fit and ready to explode in Australia.

Stuart Hess

SHAHEEN Shah Afridi’s first over has assumed almost mythic proportions.

Of course a great deal of that has to do with Pakistan and its rich history of colourful storytelling, so they know how to weave a tale. But there’s also Afridi himself, with his long limbs, his hair being so carefully styled and the way he achieves that success within the first six balls of a match.

He can swing the ball back into the right hander, away from him too, he has a devastating yorker and

that flamboyant, arms raised celebration that starts with him blowing a kiss.

The message from Pakistani cricket fans is clear: You best be in your seat for the start of the innings if Afridi is bowling.

Last year’s T20 World Cup in the UAE, is when this whole myth really started taking on a life of its own. Afridi had gone into that tournament having picked up at least one wicket in the first over 20 times in 61 innings leading up to that tournament. There were facts to back the myth and then on T20’s biggest stage he delivered against Pakistan’s biggest rivals, India.

Rohit Sharma got one of those bending yorkers - it was the first ball he’d faced - and he was trapped lbw. In the semi-final against Australia, Aaron Finch fell in similar fashion. As an opener you know it’s coming, but there’s little you can do to stop it, and so the legend grows.

Afridi goes into this year’s T20 World Cup, once more as Pakistan’s primary bowling weapon. “He’s a wicket-taker”, the former Australian international Mark Waugh told icc-cricket.com recently. “He sort of lifts the team. He’s a guy that other players follow. He is a left-armer so that’s another point of difference. He can swing the ball back into the righthander, he’s quick as well.”

The 22-year-old Afridi has bagged 47 wickets in 40 T20Is for Pakistan.

He last played in July, having sustained a knee injury during a Test against Sri Lanka. However, he described himself as being “110 percent” fit ahead of his arrival in Australia.

With conditions in Australia expected to favour pace, Afridi and the likes of Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins, Kagiso Rabada and Anrich Nortje are expected to light up the tournament, with their thrilling set of skills. The historic Melbourne Cricket Ground, will provide the stage for the latest instalment of the Pakistan vs India rivalry on October 23. That’s when Afridi hopes to write another chapter into what is already a mythical tale.

IMAGE: BackpagePix

AUSSIE, AUSSIE , AUSSIE

Australia are aiming to become the first country to win consecutive T20 World Cups.

Stuart Hess

IT’S worth remembering the weeks leading up to the T20 World Cup tournament in Dubai last year, when Australia was given little to no chance of winning that tournament.

In 15 matches before the event, Australia lost 11 times. ELEVEN. Admittedly four of those were in “extreme” conditions in Bangladesh, but still, it’s Australia and going into the 2021 World Cup they were expected to be bit-part players.

But it’s Australia, so…

Then they won six of their next seven matches and were chugging bad beer in the dressingrooms at the Dubai Cricket Stadium. But those refreshments would have tasted sweeter because over the course of a three-week journey, that started with a bizarre match against South Africa

where it looked at times as if both teams wanted to lose, Australia found something - well several things actually.

David Warner found form and finished as the Player of the Tournament, Josh Hazlewood was actually a good T20 bowler, Mitch Marsh wasn’t a muscular brute who only performed when the going was good and Matthew Wade was a ‘finisher’.

It was Wade’s epic 17-ball unbeaten 41 in the semifinal against pre-tournament favourites Pakistan that sealed the turnaround for the Australians. Since that tournament, they’ve won 15 of 23 T20 Internationals, and quite rightly go into this year’s competition as favourites.

They have arguably the best attack among all the participating teams, with Mitchell Starc an ace,

Hazlewood’s still there, as is the magnificent Pat Cummins. They have good all-rounder strength in Marcus Stoinis and Marsh - although the latter’s bowling has been restricted to the odd over here or there.

Tim David is an interesting addition to this year’s squad. Born in Singapore, he produced some heavyweight performances in the Big Bash, as well as for Singapore in the lower tiers of international competition. He played his first match for Australia against India in September, and the home team will

hope his big hitting prowess - he has a strike rate of 163.32 - will provide an X-factor in the middle order.

Indeed that Australia middle order looms as a threat with David, Glenn Maxwell and Wade all capable of changing a match in the matter of a few balls.

With Adam Zampa - currently the sixth highest ranked T20 International bowler - and Ashton Agar also in the squad to provide spin options, the home team head into this year’s World Cup in much better shape than was the case last year. Back then, no one gave them a chance, that isn’t the case now.

FOLLOW THE

LEADER

TEMBA Bavuma has had a lot to take in recently.

The Proteas captain had a miserable three-match series in India which came just after he was snubbed at the SA20 auction in Cape Town recently.

Bavuma hadn’t played a lot of cricket either since his last match on June 17 against India in Rajkot when he was ruled out with a fractured elbow, which kept him sidelined for nearly three months.

It forced Bavuma to miss out on the much-hyped England tour and he only returned to action in September in a pre-season T20 tournament in Namibia, where he played for his franchise, the Lions.

He produced scores of 23, 56, 9 and 15 against a Namibian XI and Lahore Qalandars, where he batted at No 3 in three matches and opened the batting in the other.

Three weeks later, he found

Temba Bavuma is the elected Proteas T20 captain and should have the support of everyone leading into the T20 World Cup.

Ashfak Mohamed

himself in India.

It is for this reason that I think he needs to be cut some slack. In his last 11 T20I innings before the India series, Bavuma had scores of 13, 0, 72, 12, 2, 46, 31 not out, 10, 35, 8 and 8 not out. That’s not earth-shattering figures, but not exactly terrible either.

And, of course, strike-rate is king in T20 cricket, and Bavuma’s mark of 116.49 needs to be considerably better going forward.

IMAGE: AFP

But at this stage, he is the appointed captain for the T20 World Cup, with selection chief Victor Mpitsang and coach Mark Boucher of the opinion that he can do a job in Australia.

The social-media warriors may be calling for Bavuma to be dropped in the belief that the likes of Reeza Hendricks – who was excellent against England – Rilee Rossouw and Quinton de Kock should make up the top three in the Proteas batting order.

But before his brilliant 100 not out off 48 balls (7x4, 8x6) in Indore, Rossouw had not been convincing since his return to the Proteas side.

The left-hander produced scores of 4, 96 not out, 31, 0 and 0 before his maiden T20I century, so he is not a guaranteed selection in Australia either. Will his freeswinging style be successful on those tracks?

For me, the selection quandary for the World Cup is between Hendricks and Rossouw in the top three, with Bavuma being backed as the captain…

IMAGE: AFP IMAGE: AFP

THE X-MAN

Tristan Stubbs’ fearless ness has created a fever pitch of anticipation ahead of the T20 World Cup.

Zaahier Adams

FOR 44 minutes in the southwest of England Tristan Stubbs was having the time of his life.

He only faced 28 balls during that period. But it was long enough to bash two fours and eight sixes, most of them breathtaking in their design.

Throughout his innings on that balmy night in Bristol he wore a smile of someone that had just won the lottery. And it certainly proved to be the winning ticket for this surf-loving, hockey-playing rookie from Knysna who showed that he can hit a long ball.

In this ever-changing cricket landscape, it was the equivalent of the lucky numbers for it earned him R9.2 million at the recent SA20 auction.

For a 22-year-old kid that’s still studying for a marketing degree at Nelson Mandela University that’s an awful lot of money, who will suddenly find out he has plenty of new friends to take out for drinks.

“I still live with my two flat-mates and I took them out for a quiet dinner to celebrate,” Stubbs told IOL Sport.

The timing of Stubbs’ spectacular intervention, in every sense, has created a fever pitch of anticipation ahead of the T20 World Cup with the youngster adding that much-needed X-factor to the Proteas batting line-up.

It almost comes as no surprise that Stubbs counts Quinton de Kock among his close friends in the national team dressing room. They may be almost a decade apart in age but the duo have plenty in common - none more so than their simplistic approach to batting.

IMAGE: BackpagePix

De Kock’s mantra is, of course, “see-ball, hitball”. Stubbs simply just aims for the sightscreen.

“Honestly, I’ve walked out to the middle and told myself just get one, and then get down to the other side. But then I hit my first ball for six!

“So, I just try to watch the ball and then react to whatever the body does.”

With so many South African players carrying scars of previous major ICC tournament failures, it is this fearless approach that the Proteas will be banking on Down Under.

“I’ve never been to Australia and I’m just really excited to get down there,” Stubbs said. “I’m in the gym getting ready. The bigger boundaries just mean better cricket shots.”

In addition to his powerful hitting, Stubbs bowls off-spin and is an all-action fielder both in the inner ring and on the boundary.

It seems like the Proteas have finally found their superhero that can bring the silverware home.

UNFINISHED

BUSINESS

Rilee Rossouw believes he is a better player in his second coming for the Proteas.

Zaahier Adams

“

REPRESENTING your country is the proudest thing anyone can do and today was emotional for me.”

These are the passionate words every fan wants to hear. A statement that pulls at the heartstrings of loyalty.

But they were from Rilee Rossouw, a young man who turned his back on South Africa in the prime of his international career to pursue a Kolpak and later mercenary globetrotting jaunt as a “gun-for-hire”.

For a batter blessed with an abundance of gifts it was a lucrative option. But it’s legacy that separates the greats from the mere

Rossouw is “very emotional” about his return to playing for the Proteas. - AFP

mortals. And that reputation is only forged at the highest level and not in the Shires of England.

In his heart of hearts, Rossouw knows that. He admits “international cricket is the ultimate”. Growing up in Bloemfontein, he would only have dreamt of playing for the Proteas.

Not Hampshire, Somerset, Basnahira Cricket Dundee, Dambulla Giants, Khulna Tigers, Melbourne Renegades, Multan Sultans, Royal Challengers Bangalore or the Quetta Gladiators.

It is why this second coming is so special to him. And also why his actions on that fateful day in January 2017 need to be consigned to the recklessness of youth.

Former national team coach Russell Domingo may never forgive Rossouw for spelling his name wrong in his departure email, but there’s no running away from the fact that the Proteas are a stronger T20 unit with the 32-year-old back in their ranks.

Professional sport is about winning. And Rossouw gives South Africa a better chance of achieving that. That’s all that matters in a World Cup year. He brings a dynamism at the top of the order that was far too heavily dependent on Quinton de Kock since the departures of AB de Villiers and Faf du Plessis.

Rossouw possesses “X-factor”, which puts bowlers under pressure before they even start their run-up. It was on full display in Cardiff where he shrugged off a disappointing return the day before with an undefeated 96 to help the Proteas level the series against England.

He went even one better at the Holkar Cricket Stadium in Indore a month later with an undefeated 100 off just 48 balls, which included eight sixes and seven fours.

But does he fully realise just how fortunate he is to have another crack at pulling on the Proteas jumper after giving everyone at Cricket SA the proverbial middle finger?

“I am grateful for where I am right now. To put in a performance like that for your country is really special for me – very emotional, and very proud,” Rossouw said.

“I don’t see it as a free shot. I’ve got six years of experience around the world, playing in different competitions. I do feel like I’m a much better player than I once was. I’ve put in some really good performances and the management has backed me and selected me.”

So, does Rossouw, who was part of the 2016 T20 World Cup squad and played a pivotal role in the epic 2015 World Cup semi-final in Auckland, believe it will be third time lucky in Australia this time around?

The dynamic lefthander lit up the Holkar Cricket Stadium with an undefeated 100 off just 48 balls on the recent India tour. - AFP

“Everyone wants to play to win a trophy. From what I’ve seen and heard, the Proteas have had a great last year and a half, and obviously it’s about building on that momentum into the World Cup.

“I do believe in my ability to not necessarily win the World Cup by myself because that’s impossible. But to put in a performance to help my team.”

And should Rossouw play a part in bringing home the elusive holy grail, then maybe even Domingo may finally have to grant him amnesty.

THE FINE ART OF T20 LEADERSHIP

Faf du Plessis believes a captain still has to trust his instinct out in the middle.

Zaahier Adams

IT is the height of T20 fashion to rave about matchups and pre-match data analysis that transforms the on-field captain into a virtual traffic conductor.

And yet despite the growing reliance on statistics in the shortest format of the game, the influence of the skipper on the outcome of matches has never been more crucial.

Faf du Plessis, the former Proteas captain who led his country in 40 of the 50 T20Is he played including two T20 World Cups, believes the final call remains with the man in the middle.

“In Test cricket, because you have time, the captain does play a role but the backroom staff can help. You come off the field and discuss things, and a lot of help

can come from other people,” Du Plessis exclusively told IOL Sport.

“But I think in T20 cricket the game is moving so fast, so tactically the captain plays a huge role in the T20 format. You can do all the planning, and matchups before the game, in terms of strengths and weaknesses, and

you run through all of that as a leadership group, but when you get out there things can change, and that’s when a captain has to trust his instinct because it could be completely different to all the chats that you had the night before.”

Du Plessis possessed deep

tactical acumen, the ability to pull a rabbit out of a hat at any given time. He was also engaging with the media, unlike his predecessors and successors, and was passionate when he believed he was right.

Above all, he cared for South African cricket and South Africa’s cricketers. He was always careful to ensure that they knew that he was on their side, and showed them appropriate love with public displays of affection never far

Equally, he has walked into dressing rooms in India (Royal Challengers Bangalore), Pakistan (Peshawar Zalmi and Quetta Gladiators), West Indies (St Lucia Kings), England (Northern SuperChargers) and South Africa (Paarl Rocks) and brought together a motley crew and transformed them into competitive outfits.

“I’m a massive believer in manmanagement. For me, it’s about the relationship. And that comes from away from the field, so when the day comes when you are out in the middle, there is trust. The bowler believes I am in it with him, and that’s why I believe manmanagement plays a huge role because then you are in sync on the field,” Du Plessis said.

Afghanistan superstar Rashid Khan is ready to put batters in a spin at the ICC T20 World Cup.

RASHID Khan is the No 2 ranked T20 bowler in the world and an in-demand star in every global franchise league.

Such is the Afghanistan legspinner’s skill-set that not even Virat Kohli can knock him off his stride.

The former India captain paid the greatest of compliments to Khan

when he said it took him three years just to pick the right-armer’s deliveries. Dealing with them is a different matter entirely.

Khan has that rare skill of being able to bowl fast and still spin the ball. He’s economical and rattles through his overs at a sharp pace, leaving batters in a tail-spin.

And that is before he even

brings out the googly, the ball which has disarmed even the most dangerous of hitters.

Kohli knows that only all too well, with the pair having come up against each other in both the IPL and international arenas over the years.

But if he thought his remarks would shake Khan into a panic and fear his secrets had finally being unravelled, he was left disappointed.

“It gives you so much confidence and energy when someone like him is speaking about you like that,” he said.

Staff writer

IMAGE: ICC

“It is a big statement and that will help me a lot.

“I have something in my mind when I face every batsman so that helps me. I have plans for certain batsmen.

How Khan handles the intense heat of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup will be fascinating –especially in Australia, where the importance of pace traditionally outweighs spin.

But Khan already knows what is required. He has already played in Australia for a number of seasons now for the Adelaide Strikers, helping the South Australian side to their first-ever Big Bash title back in 2018.

“A good ball is a good ball and that is all that matters. It is up to the batsman to understand what you are doing but it’s up to me to make sure what he is facing is good,” added Khan, who has taken 118 career T20I wickets at a strike-rate of 13.6.

“Good deliveries are good for everyone. I am responsible for putting a batsman in trouble.

“It will be hard for the spinners. But if you approach with that mentality then you will struggle.

“You have to think anyone can turn it and anyone can get wickets. I am just thinking about taking wickets and using the experience I have from around the world.

“The wickets should be flat but for me the important thing will be adjusting to that and bowling the right lines and lengths.”

IMAGE: ICC

IMAGE: BackpagePix

IMAGE: BackpagePix

THECHEVRONS ARE RISING

Zimbabwe are back where they belong at the summit of the world game.

ICC

ZIMBABWE are back at the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup. Having missed last year’s event in the UAE and Oman, they will return to the big stage for the first time since 2016.

Powered by in-form all-rounder Sikandar Raza, Dave Houghton’s side will hope to make a big impression in their fifth ICC Men’s T20 World Cup campaign.

Zimbabwe used home advantage to full effect to seal their spot in Australia. The Chevrons dominated the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup Global Qualifier B in Bulawayo, winning five games on the bounce with a series of commanding performances.

They were consistently able to access first-innings totals towards 200 and when the batters faltered, the bowling unit stepped up. That was keenly felt in the final when Zimbabwe were bowled out for 132 but then proceeded to skittle the Dutch for 95 to take overall victory in the Qualifier.

Sikandar Raza is one of the most in-form players in white-ball cricket in the world.

Earlier this year they showed promising signs in a 3-0 T20I series defeat to Afghanistan and would have been disappointed to be edged 3-2 in the series against African rivals Namibia.

Houghton is bullish on his side’s prospects of navigating the First Round, where they face a tricky draw in the shape of two-time winners West Indies, Ireland and Scotland.

Zimbabwe’s first act at the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup in 2007 saw them pull off one of the most famous upsets in the event’s history.

Prosper Utseya’s side turned over a star-studded Australia, crowned triple ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup champions in 1999, 2003 and 2007, by five wickets in an incredible match at Newlands.

Elton Chigumbura did the damage with the ball, accounting for both Adam Gilchrist and Matthew Hayden, before Brendan Taylor’s unbeaten 60 saw them to victory.

Raza is one of the form players in white-ball international cricket this year, named Player of the Tournament in the Qualifier.

Playing in the middle order, the 36-year-old’s strike rate in the shortest form of the game has risen from 106.93 to 152.21 in a matter of months.

His fine form in the ODI format saw him lead Zimbabwe to a home series win over Pakistan in August, their first 50-over series win over a major nation in five years.

Raza will look for skipper Craig Ervine, returning from a hamstring injury, to lay a platform in the powerplay and then dominate the opposing attack in the middle overs.

With Group B games all taking place at Hobart’s Bellerive Oval, Zimbabwe begin against Ireland on 17 October.

They face West Indies on 19 October before their First Round ends against Scotland on 21 October.

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