Volume 2 October 2021
IOL
ICC T20 WORLD CUP
SPIN IT TO WIN IT TABRAIZ SHAMSI
The Emirates ICC Men’s T20 World Cup A380 livery makes its debut, capturing the energy and spirit of the long-awaited tournament Photo/Text: Supplied by EMIRATES Dubai, UAE, 17 October 2021: Building on the excitement and fervour for the return of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, Emirates has revealed its own themed A380 livery, just in time for today’s kick off of one of the most hotly anticipated events in the world of sport, taking place for the first time in the UAE and Oman. After a game of mini-cricket umpired by Indian international cricketer Shikhar Dhawan, the newly emblazoned aircraft was beckoned out as the ‘newest player’ by him and over 100 Emirates Engineering employees, many of whom were involved in the installation of the special decal and form part of the nine cricket teams at the airline’s engineering centre. The ICC Men’s T20 Cricket World Cup trophy also made a surprise debut once the aircraft was unveiled, and enthusiastic employees got the chance to pose with the iconic trophy. Boutros Boutros, Divisional Senior Vice President, Corporate Communications, Marketing & Brand for Emirates Airline said: “We are excited that the iconic ICC Men’s T20 Cricket World Cup is taking place here in our home, the UAE, and we’re proud as the official airline and partner to bring in teams from all over the world to compete in what is going to be a truly memorable event fuelled by the passion of fans. Today’s livery unveiling is just one way we are bringing the flavour of the sport to fans around the world who are feverishly looking forward to thrilling cricket action after a long hiatus, and we hope to fly this aircraft to as many cricket loving nations as possible.” Anurag Dahiya, Chief Commercial Officer of International Cricket Council (ICC) said:
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“It is fantastic to see the ICC Men’s T20 World come to life with this themed A380 livery, what better way to spread the appeal of the event than to transport it around the world with our long-standing partner Emirates. It has been more than five years since the last Men’s T20 and the sense of excitement and anticipation is building with fans as the world’s best players descend on Oman and the UAE to compete for the ultimate prize in the shortest format of the game.” Emirates directly serves 12 nations participating in the seventh edition of the ICC T20 Men’s Cricket World Cup, which is the largest cricket event to be held since the onset of the pandemic. This is also the first time a cricket event of this magnitude takes place in the region, and matches will be played over the next month across the UAE and Oman. The vibrant decal covering the Emirates A380 fuselage includes pink and yellow figures batting and bowling against a purple backdrop. The decal was installed on A6-EVE, and the emblazoned aircraft made its first trip to Mauritius yesterday. Over the next few months, the aircraft is expected to fly across the Emirates’ growing A380 network, and will make visits to
the UK, South Africa, The Netherlands, and other cricketing nations. Emirates has been supporting the game of cricket for almost 20 years, and is the Official Airline and Global Partner of the International Cricket Council (ICC). The airline will also sponsor the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 which will be held in India, as well as the event’s match officials selected from the Emirates ICC Elite Panel of ICC Umpires, the Emirates ICC International Panel of Umpires and the Emirates ICC Elite Panel of Match Referees, which also sees Emirates featured on their official kit. Along with the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, Emirates also supports the Women’s T20 World Cups and the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup. Emirates also supports a number of cricket clubs, and is the official sponsor of Durham County Cricket Club and Lancashire County Cricket Club, with naming rights to both clubs’ playing grounds, Emirates Riverside and Emirates Old Trafford, and their respective T20 representative teams.
CONTENTS IOL COVER STORY SPIN IT TO WIN IT The World’s No 1 T20 bowler Tabraiz Shamsi chats exclusively to IOL Sport about how he aims to drive the Proteas to ICC T20 World Cup glory. | Photo: Reuters | See story on Page 16
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| EDITOR’S NOTE
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| CROSSROADS
Fans finally have smiles back on their faces as they make a steady return to stadiums in South Africa. Will the Proteas be able to maintain this sense of joy by bringing home the ICC T20 World Cup?
Former prodigy James Kamte has endured a tough time since bursting on the golfing scene 10 years ago. Can he turn the corner and fulfil his undoubted potential?
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| THE PHARAOH OF ANFIELD
Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah has been phenomenal since arriving at Anfield and should be spoken about in the same breath as Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi.
10 | DANCING WITH ‘MAMKHIZE’
Extravagant Royal AM club owner Shauwn “MaMkhize” Mkhize has taken the local football scene by storm with her theatrics on and off the pitch.
14 | OPERATION DESERT STORM
Temba Bavuma will hope to lead the Proteas to an elusive major trophy in the ICC T20 World Cup.
18 | HIGH VOLTAGE
A contest between Asian superpowers India and Pakistan is much more than just a cricket match.
20 | WICKET-KEEPER WIZARDS
T20 cricket has brought about innovative changes to the modern game. None more so than the role of the wicket-keeper/batsman.
22 | EYEING THE DOUBLE
England suffered heartbreak five years ago in the ICC T20 World Cup final. They now arrive in the UAE confident of being the first team to be double world champions.
24 | START YOUR ENGINES
Formula One has struggled to capture the imagination of the American public over the years. This is all about to change with the US Grand Prix set to explode.
26 | ON FIRE
Xolisa Guma has travelled a long road from Khayelitsha to the Tel Aviv Heat in order to put food on the table for his family.
Design & Production: Matthy Moss | matthys.moss@inl.co.za Acting IOL Sport Digimag Editor: Zaahier Adams | zaahier.adams@inl.co.za IOL Sport Live Editor: John Goliath | john.goliath@inl.co.za Acting Executive IOL Sport Editor: Thulani Mbatha | thulani.mbatha@inl.co.za
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they need to use on their running journey. Runners are asked a series of questions, each of which is designed to eliminate incorrect options and assist in picking the right shoe to use. At the end of the “Shoe Finder” process, runners will be given an option/s on a shoe for them to consider, based on their answers. When purchasing your New Balance running shoes through the Sportsmans Warehouse online store, you automatically get entered into the draw to win ONE free entry into the 2022 New York City Marathon; an all-inclusive trip for two to New York, New Balance Training Gear and a personalized training programme from Coach Parry (T&C’s apply). To get a glimpse into the New York Marathon, tell us which New Balance running shoe is your perfect fit and win one of four entries to compete virtually at the TCS New York City Marathon.
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Editors’ Note Oman. Sharjah. Abu Dhabi, Dubai. AN intoxicating mix of where the East and the West combine in modern luxury and old-school traditional values. Skyscrapers, luxurious seven-star hotels, desert safaris and turquoise-blue beaches are but some of the attractions that the United Arab Emirates has to offer. Temba Bavuma’s Proteas have, though, not come to the UAE to sample its opulence. They are on a mission: Operation Desert Storm ICC T20 World Cup. Bavuma, who will be attending his first major ICC tournament, has the unenviable task of bringing an end to years of misery for South African cricket fans by finally bringing home the elusive trophy. Considering the trauma the South Africa cricket family has endured during the epidemic listening to the Social Justice and Nation building hearings, Bavuma literally carries the country’s weight of expectation on his slight shoulders. He is going to need his World No 1 T20 bowler Tabraiz Shamsi – our cover story – to be on top form if the Proteas are even to come close to achieving the near impossible. We have plenty more stories in this second volume of the IOL Sport Digimag, focusing primarily on sportsmen and women who are fighting against the odds to take their place at their respective tables. Lastly, South Africans could finally celebrate the return of spectators to the stadium for Bafana Bafana’s Fifa World Cup Qualifier against Ethiopia at the FNB Stadium. It brought us all a sense of unbridled joy and happiness that some form of “normality” is returning to this crazy world. Hopefully Temba and his Proteas can maintain those smiles. Enjoy!
Zaahier Adams
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Spectators watch as James Kamte tees off during the final round of the Indonesian Open in 2008.
CROSSROADS GolfRSA needs former prodigy James Kamte to take the right turn Photos: EPA By: MICHAEL SHERMAN
Kamte watches his tee shot during the 2008 Indonesian Open.
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JAMES Kamte at one point during his career was playing practice rounds at the US Open with Tiger Woods, but his journey has been heartbreaking for a nation crying out for a black golf star. Now aged 39 and ranked 1402nd in the world, Kamte misses more cuts than he makes these days and is a shadow of the player who seemed destined for greatness in the late 2000s. Kamte won three times in just over a year on the Sunshine Tour starting in September 2007, with his breakthrough coming at the Seekers Travel Pro-Am. In fact, he won his 2008 European Tour card at the gruelling Qualifying School – Final Stage, and in the process became the first black South African to earn full playing privileges since Vincent Tshabalala in 1976 and 1977. With limited status on the European Tour, Kamte played the Asian Tour and won the first event of the 2009 season – the Asian Tour International. It would prove the biggest victory of his career. A week later, he finished in a solid tie for 11th at the Maybank Malaysian Open, prompting a rise to a career high 174th in the world rankings. The golfing world was his oyster.
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However, tragedy struck when the Eastern Cape-born golfer suffered a career-threatening injury in 2010 when he fell off a skateboard in Singapore and broke his hand and knee. He underwent knee and wrist operations in 2011 and 2012, respectively. Subsequently, he had to go under the knife for a third time in 2015 for an operation to fix a detached retina in his left eye, which he still struggles with today. Coupled were some dubious personal decisions made at the time, Kamte faced an uphill battle. A move down to Cape Town in 2017, however, has brought a greater sense of calmness and clarity to Kamte’s life. Nicknamed “the Cobra”, Kamte’s presence on the South African golfing circuit is essential for a number of reasons, primarily to inspire the next generation of young black players, for as much as GolfRSA remains a shining light in developing golfers from all backgrounds in South Africa, the fact remains golf in the Rainbow Nation is still a white elitist sport. Kamte is particularly aware of this fact having launched a golfing foundation in his hometown of Humansdorp in 2019. As for Kamte himself, he still has time to turn things around – here’s to hoping he does indeed manage to take the right turn.
At one point during his career Kamte was hailed as South Africa’s Tiger Woods by Gary Player.
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THE PHARAOH OF ANFIELD Liverpool superstar Mohamed Salah remains critically under-rated Photos: BackpagePix | Reuters | EPA By: ESHLIN VEDAN
EVEN die-hard fans of Manchester United have to admit that Mohamed Salah is a class act and certainly on his way to securing all-time legendary status at Liverpool and in the English Premier League. Didier Drogba, Wayne Rooney, Thierry Henry and Alan Shearer are the names that often roll off the lips when the greatest goal-poachers to grace the Premier League are discussed, but the Egyptian king is rarely part of the conversation. After scoring against Crystal Palace last month, Salah became the 30th member of “The 100-Club” ‒ the elite group who have netted 100 goals in the Premiership. Salah was the fifth quickest to achieve the feat, requiring 162 appearances. Following his latest majestic effort against Watford, Salah joined Chelsea legend Drogba as the highest-scoring African player in Premier League history. What is particularly astounding is the fact that the Ivory Coast hero played 70 games more than Salah to achieve the 104-goal landmark. Since arriving at Anfield in 2017 from AS Roma, Salah has been an important component of Jurgen Klopp’s rebuilding of the Merseyside club. He made an immediate impact in his first season at Liverpool, scoring 32 league goals, which
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still stands as the all-time individual record. Salah also boasts the record for the most games (24) scored in a Premier League season and Player of the Month awards (3) won in a season. Furthermore, he has scored more than 20 goals in each of his last four seasons with Liverpool ‒ a feat that was last achieved by Kop legend Ian Rush more than 20 years ago. “Mo is a goal machine. His professionalism is absolutely second to none. He does everything to always be fit and stay on track. First in, last out, all these kinds of things – that’s Mo. On top of that, apart from his technical skill set, he is desperate to score goals and that is helpful as well,” Klopp said. “Whatever you do on a pitch, whatever you create, you need somebody who brings the ball over the line and in the back of the net. Mo is absolutely there with the best I ever saw. He knows that. The numbers he has are insane.” At 29, Salah is at the peak of his career. He still has two years left of his Liverpool contract, worth £200 000 per week, but his agent Ramy Abbas Issa is currently in England to negotiate a £500 000 per week deal that could place him above even Manchester City duo Kevin de Bruyne (£380 000) and Jack Grealish (£300 000). Nobody deserves this recognition and reward more than Salah.
Top: Mohamed Salah finishes off his wonderful solo goal against Manchester City at Anfield in October.
Top left: Salah and Bobby Firminho celebrate a Liverpool goal. Center left: Salah is a hero back home in Egypt. Bottom left: Salah acknowledges the applause of the Anfield faithful.
“Mo is absolutely there with the best I ever saw,” says Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp.
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DANCING WITH ‘MAMKHIZE’ Royal AM owner Shauwn Mkhize has taken the Premier Soccer League by storm. Photos: BackpagePix | Instagram By: WILLEM PHUNGULA | HERMAN GIBBS
NOT since the late Abdul Bhamjee has the Premier Soccer League had such a flamboyant character within their ranks as businesswoman and television personality Shauwn “MaMkhize” Mkhize. The Royal AM owner is the enfant terrible of South African soccer at the moment and her escapades on and off the field has frazzled the PSL. But where has she come from? Mkhize was born into and raised by a politically active family in Umbumbulu, a village near Amanzimtoti. Her late parents, Sipho and Florence Mkhize, were both ANC activists during apartheid, with her father allegedly killed by a policeman in 1991. The tragedy was followed a year later by the death of her brother, Sbu Mkhize, killed in a shoot-out with police in Isipingo. Upon her mother’s death in 2008, Mkhize inherited a small company called Zikhulise Construction, which she has transformed into a hugely successful business on the basis of tenders gained for the building of RDP houses in eThekwini and KwaDukuza. Zikhu-
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lise Construction is now the foundation of her multimillion-rand empire which, according to online celebrity publication Zalebs, has a net worth of R300 million. She has not, though, been able to keep out of the headlines for the wrong reasons. In 2012 she was arrested for allegedly trying to bribe an investigating officer who was probing her for alleged tax evasion. The charges have since been withdrawn, although Sars claimed in 2016 that Mkhize and her ex-husband, Sbu Mpisane, with who she still shares a luxury La Lucia home, owed R141 million in taxes. Mkhize’s football career has been equally colourful as she faces charges for bringing the PSL into disrepute for allegedly making racist and sexist comments regarding high court Judge Roland Sutherland’s ruling after Royal AM’s no-shows for the four promotion/ relegation matches. Her latest escapade could land her in hot water again, although this could be sooner rather than later after her cash-in-transit shenanigans at Chatsworth Stadium. Mkhize and her son, Royal AM chairperson Andile Mpisane, joined the players on the pitch after the final whistle in the recent KwaZulu-Natal derby against Maritzburg United. Mpisane was armed with a large brown envelope containing bundles of R200 notes, which he proceeded to hand
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out to the players in full view of the cameras. Royal AM have not confirmed what the money was for, but speculation was rife that it was a team bonus after they had pulled off a smash-and-grab win with a last-minute goal. The video immediately went viral on social media with a slew of comments suggesting it was merely a stunt by Mkhize and Mpisane to show off their filthy rich status, although this would not have been necessary after Dstv’s Mzansi Magic aired her reality show, KwaMaMkhize last year, where she flaunted her bling lifestyle that consists of a fleet of cars such as a RollsRoyce Cullinan, Bentley Continental GT, Lamborghini Urus, Mercedes Benz G-Wagon, Mercedes Maybach Limited Edition and a BMW i8. With Mkhize seemingly not going anywhere any time soon, her dalliance with the PSL seems set to be just another episode in the real-life show of MaMkhize
TOP: Mkhize and son, Royal AM chairperson Andile Mpisane, celebrate winning the GladAfrica Championship. RIGHT: Shauwn Mkhize is not afraid to flaunt her bling lifestyle.
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PROUDLY ‘BAFANA BAFANA’ SOUTH African sports fans celebrated returning to the stadium for the first time since the Covid-19 lockdown during Bafana Bafana’s 1-0 victory over Ethiopia at the FNB Stadium in Johannesburg. Photos: BackpagePix
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Photo: EPA
Proteas ICC Men’s T20 World Cup fixtures 23 October | 12pm | Australia v South Africa | Abu Dhabi 26 October | 12pm | South Africa v West Indies | Dubai 30 October | 12pm | South Africa v A1 | Sharjah 2 November | 12pm | South Africa v B2 | Abu Dhabi 6 November | 4pm | England v South Africa | Sharjah 10 November | 4pm | Semi-final 1 (A1 v B2) | Abu Dhabi 11 November | 4pm | Semi-final 2 (B1 v A2) | Dubai 14 November | 4pm | Final | Dubai
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OPERATION DESERT STORM The Proteas are hoping to complete a mission in the UAE that no previous team has managed before. Photos: ICC | BackpagePix | ANI By: STUART HESS
THE Proteas and World Cups have a treacherous past. Unlike the Springboks and their glorious memories, it serves merely as a teary reminder of broken dreams. But there is another opportunity on the horizon to bring joy to a nation that has suffered so much. And as usual, there will be large expectations of the Proteas in the United Arab Emirates in the forthcoming ICC T20 World Cup, with the responsibility now on new captain Temba Bavuma to marshal his troops and lead them into battle in a group that includes current holders the West Indies, favourites England and Australia. “The pressure is always there, it’s my first world event. This is the only experience I have. I can’t compare it to anything else. We expect ourselves to do well as a team, and that is where the pressure comes from,” Bavuma said. Plenty of the noise that has affected previous failed World Cup attempts has hailed from outside the camp. Bavuma is happy to stay in his bubble. “I don’t want to play it too much in my head. I believe I have done all that I can to hold myself in the coming moments. I really, really don’t think I should be trying new things, or trying out a different Temba – a different
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version of myself. As I’ve always done, it is to take things day by day and trust that things will look after themselves if I do the right things,” he said. The Proteas have played very well leading up to the tournament, winning away series in the West Indies, Ireland and in Sri Lanka. A new tactical approach has been adopted, with spin now the crucial mode of attack. Bavuma is blessed to have three weapons of mass destruction at his disposal in Tabraiz Shamsi, Bjorn Fortuin and Keshav Maharaj — along with a fourth option in part-timer Aiden Markram — to exploit the dry pitches of the UAE desert. “I find it hard to see how the wickets will get better with so much traffic happening on those pitches,” said Bavuma. “If the conditions do allow us and dictate that we use our slow bowlers, we will definitely do so, like we did in Sri Lanka successfully. If the
conditions dictate so, I see no reason why we can’t employ three spinners.” Bavuma will have a chat with his mate, Siya Kolisi, who just happens to be the Bok World Cup winning captain in Japan two years ago, about his experience, although he feels “it’s a bit better sometimes when you don’t know what to expect, you allow yourselves to rely on hope or faith”. South Africans are certainly pinning their hopes on Bavuma and his troops to emerge victorious in the UAE.
“I really, really don’t think I should be trying new things, or trying out a different Temba,” Bavuma said.
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Click on the link below to listen to Temba Bavuma discussing the Proteas’ chances at the T20 World Cup.
Top: New captain Temba Bavuma will lead his Proteas troops into battle.
https://sp.rmbl.ws/s8/2/L/W/2/y/LW2yc. baa.mp4?b=1&u=qnnu%20type=
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COVER STORY
SPIN IT TO WIN IT IOL Proteas World No 1 bowler Tabraiz Shamsi chats exclusively to IOL Sport ahead of the T20 World Cup in the UAE. Photos: African News Agency (ANA) By: ZAAHIER ADAMS 1. DO you ever wake up in the morning and just pinch yourself that you are the No 1 T20 bowler in the world? Tabraiz Shamsi: The guys around me make my job easier to be honest. I know I have a certain role to play. I have a job to do in the team. But the other guys are brilliant as well. You don’t just rock up and do well. You need the help of other guys around you. 2. How exciting is it to be part of a generation of spinners that is actually appreciated in South Africa? Tabraiz Shamsi: It’s amazing! The coaches are picking the team according to what they see in front of them and not just what we’ve seen in the past, not what the mould of a South African team should be. 3. You have always spoken very highly of Imran Tahir. How do you feel about him being left out of the Proteas T20 World Cup squad? Tabraiz Shamsi: I actually don't know what to say about that because I’m not somebody who gets involved in those kinds of chats and I’m not really sure what happened. 4. But you would have liked to bowl in tandem with him one last time though? Tabraiz Shamsi: Well, there are
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TABRAIZ SHAMSI always opportunities around the world. (Laughs) 5. That’s the best googly you have bowled all summer … Tabraiz Shamsi: (Laughs) We never know where the road might take us. 6. Having been in the UAE for the IPL, what can we expect from the surfaces? Tabraiz Shamsi: I don’t know if they’ve been keeping certain pitches fresh for the World Cup, but they are on the slower side. It will be a challenge for the batters. 7. If you had to choose, which Marvel superhero would you be? Tabraiz Shamsi: I’m going to sound a bit dumb … I don't even know if Superman is a Marvel character, but I have been fascinated with Superman for a long time. Being able to fly and then travel quickly is something that I would enjoy. 8. What’s it like to bowl against the supermen of the West Indies
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such as Andre “Dre Russ” Russell and Chris “Universe Boss” Gayle? Tabraiz Shamsi: Look, it’s very challenging, the power that they possess. But for me, it sort of pumps me up. I’ve been somebody that’s always wanted to take the big wickets. I think it brings the best out of me. 9. The Proteas’ first game at the T20 World Cup is against Australia. Is everything geared towards that opening game at the moment? Tabraiz Shamsi: When we play against Australia nobody needs to be told anything. Everyone sort of knows what they have to do. Everybody will be up for that game. 10. Finally, what is your message to the people back home? What can they expect from this Proteas team at the T20 World Cup? Tabraiz Shamsi: I’d just like to tell them and remind them that this is a team that has been locked up in a hotel room for six or seven days, just so we can go out there and try our best and bring some happiness to the people back home. We’ve been doing a lot of sweating for this team, for the people back home, and we’re going to definitely try and make everyone proud.
Above: Tabraiz Shamsi is known for his unique and passionate celebrations. Right: Shamsi is a firm fan favourite with crowds all over the world.
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HIGH VOLTAGE There is always electricity in the air whenever India and Pakistan meet on the cricket field. Photos: ICC By: ZAAHIER ADAMS “IT is a show stopper!” New Pakistan Cricket Board chairperson and former World Cup winner Ramiz Raja could not have described it any better. An India-Pakistan clash is certainly the biggest billboard attraction in world cricket. This is not just a sporting contest between two countries. It is a head-on collision of two ideologies draped in historical trauma. Since gaining independence from Great Britain in 1947, relations between the south-Asian neighbours have been tempestuous. It was at an all-time low between 1961 and 1978 when they did not meet on the cricket field at all. In 2021, the situation remains virtually the same with Indo-Pak matches confined to official International Cricket Council (ICC) events since the last bilateral series eight years ago. It stands to reason, then, why tickets for their T20 World Cup Group 2 clash on October 24 in Dubai were sold out within minutes of being made available despite the Premium and Platinum range costing in the region of Dh 1 500 (R6100) and Dh 2 600 (R10 600). Although the majority of the 25 000-seater stadium ‒ which can only be filled to 70% capacity due to Covid-19
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regulations ‒ will no doubt consist of the region’s business tycoons, Bollywood stars, musicians and politicians, there will still be a cacophony of noise that will reverberate throughout the UAE desert. But it is on television where the numbers are mind-blowing. The 2019 World Cup clash in Manchester was watched worldwide by 273 million unique viewers on linear TV with a further 50 million digital-only viewers. Such astronomical viewership figures enabled a broadcaster to sell a 10 second advert for Rs20 lakh (about $26715.64; R400066.21) during that game. Away from the politics and staggering amounts of money that is associated with Indo-Pak matches, it is ultimately about the players that are eager to perform against their arch-rivals. The inaugural T20 World Cup Final at the Wanderers in Johannesburg was a thriller that went the way of Mahendra Singh Dhoni’s Indian team, transforming the global cricket landscape in the process with the resultant birth of the Indian Premier League. They are also the only teams to ever contest a “bowl out” at the World T20 when their group meeting in the same 2007 tournament ended in a tie at an adrenalin-charged Kingsmead in Durban. India’s inspirational captain, Virat Kohli, holds the record for the most runs scored in T20s between the two countries, highlighted by two splendid
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undefeated half-centuries that spear headed successful run-chases in both 2012 (Dhaka) and 2016 (Kolkata). In his last tournament as India T20 captain, Kohli will no doubt look to repeat the dosage. Pakistan skipper Babar Azam will equally go toe-to-toe with Kohli in Dubai. Babar is in fact ranked two places higher at No 2 on the ICC T20 batters list, and will be desperate to become the first Pakistan captain to lead his team to victory over their arch-rivals at a T20 World Cup. The stage has been set for another enthralling chapter of a rivalry like no other. Let the fun begin.
Top: The ICC T20 World Cup will be India’s Virat Kohli’s last as T20 captain. Right: India and Pakistan fans snapped up tickets immediately for the Group 2 clash on October 24.
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WIZARDS OF WICKET-KEEPING A host of wicketkeepers will be waving their wands around at the ICC T20 World Cup Photos: AP | BackpagePix By: STUART HESS
IT’S not a stretch to state that as Quinton de Kock, Mohammed Rizwan, Rishabh Pant and Jos Buttler go, so their respective teams South Africa, Pakistan, India and England will go at the ICC T20 World Cup. Buttler and Pant are a couple of genuine thrill seekers, with bat in hand, with the Englishman stating his fondness for AB de Villiers, and has sought to model his batting on that of the Proteas’ ‘Mr 360’. Buttler’s overall T20 strike rate is a touch under 140, and this year he’s made four half-centuries in eight matches, suggesting he is carrying some good form with him into the tournament. Pant hasn’t played as many internationals – just five this year – but he is an instinctive player who bats with a lot of flair, as is often on display when playing at the Delhi Capitals in the IPL, where his strike rate stands at 150.11 over the course of 77 matches in the most lucrative and pressure-packed T20 competition outside of the World Cup. Rizwan, meanwhile, arrives in the UAE as arguably the hottest property in the shortest format. He has been a nemesis for the Proteas this year. He’s passed 50 eight times in 14 T20 innings in 2021, converting one of those into a hundred. And while he’s scoring a
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boatload of runs, he’s also doing so at a prodigious strike rate of 140.11. Along with the magnificent Babar Azam, he provides Pakistan with a devastating ‘1-2’ opening combination that, along with their always dangerous bowlers, makes the 2010 champions strong contenders this year. De Kock is the wicket most of the Proteas’ opponents will target for he cannot be controlled once set. Everyone knows his strong scoring areas early in his innings are square of the wicket on both sides, but the trouble is that once set, he scores all around the ground. De Kock’s been in good form – and has needed to be – as the Proteas have continued to experiment with personnel and style. His 455 runs this year have come at a strike rate of 135.82, including five 50s. The four wizards of wicketkeeping may just be the ones to decide this year’s tournament.
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Right: India’s Rishabh Pant is a genuine thrill seeker. Far right top: Mohammed Rizwan arrives in the UAE as arguably the hottest property in T20. Far right centre: Jos Buttler has sought to model his batting on that of AB de Villiers. Far right bottom: Pant and De Kock are both expected to light up the ICC T20 World Cup.will target.
Bottom: Quinton de Kock is the wicket most of the Proteas’ opponents will target.
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EYEING THE DOUBLE Eoin Morgan’s England team are hoping to become the first team to hold the title of 50-overs and T20 world champions simultaneously. Photos: AP | BackpagePix By: ZAAHIER ADAMS
FOR England to have come as far as they have in white-ball cricket is staggering. For so long the nation that frowned upon anything not played over at least four days and in white flannels, they are now the undisputed benchmark for high-tempo techno-colour cricket. Eoin Morgan’s team have embraced a brand that is intoxicating in its excitement, which in the process delivered the 2019 50-overs World Cup in the most dramatic fashion. But they are not finished yet. They are hell-bent on becoming the first team to do “the double” with the ICC T20 World Cup firmly in their sights. They came perilously close five years ago in India when Carlos Brathwaite made sure everyone remembered his name by breaking English hearts with an astonishing last-over assault on Ben Stokes that yielded four successive sixes for West Indies to claim their second World T20 crown. Morgan, though, has lifted the T20 World Cup already ‒ back in 2010 under
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the leadership of Paul Collingwood in the Caribbean. The contrasts between that group and the 2021 team cannot be more contrasting, though. England arrived in the West Indies on a wing and prayer more than anything else, with virtually just one truly world-class player in Kevin Pietersen. The fact that “KP” finished as the tournament’s MVP probably played its part. But even counting the loss of superstars Stokes and Jofra Archer – the 2019 Lord’s heroes – there still remains an abundance of individual match-winners like Jos Buttler, Dawid Malan, Moeen Ali, Jason Roy, Jonny Bairstow, Liam Livingstone, Adil Rashid and Tymal Mills to call upon. An indication of England’s overflowing resources is the ever-constant debate around whether the World’s No 1 T20 batsman Malan should even be in the starting XI, while Test captain Joe Root – who top-scored with 54 off 36 balls and took 2/1 opening the bowling in the 2016 final in Mumbai – has not played a T20I since May 2019. England open their campaign in a replay of the 2016 final against the Windies in Dubai before facing arch-rivals Australia and South Africa sandwiched between a couple of matches against the qualifiers. For the No 1 ranked T20 side in the world, who have lost just two T20I series – both against India – out of their
CRICKET
last 13 series, it should be a comfortable passage into the semi-finals. From thereon it’s just about how they handle the pressure. And unlike their football counterparts they are a team that’s comfortable with the “favourites” tag heading into major tournaments. The English tend to treat their winners with a reverence accorded to gods. Double world champions could be immortal.
Top: England captain Eoin Morgan has his eye on the T20 World Cup. Top right: England players celebrate the last wicket in the 50-overs World Cup final. RIGHT: England’s Jason Roy kisses the 50-overs World Cup trophy.
CRICKET
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START YOUR ENGINES There has been a massive push in recent times to get Americans to enjoy Formula One. Photos: EPA | Reuters By: MORGAN BOLTON THE United States Grand Prix is not one of Formula One’s most glamorous events on the race calendar, but there is no denying its importance in the growth and prosperity of the sport. In short, the Land of the Free might not want F1, but F1 certainly needs the Home of the Brave. There can be no denying that the sport has battled to capture the imagination of the US public and finds itself competing against the behemoth IndyCar and Nascar viewership ratings. Even so, the US-based consortium that owns F1, Liberty Media, has made it their mission to win over the locals and expand its brand amongst a country of 333 million people. “Our strategy in the future will be to be more present in the US,” F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali said earlier this year. “It’s a work in progress. But I can guarantee to you that there is now big interest in the USA with Formula 1.” The reasons for the strategy are
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clear: The wealth that an American audience can bring to the sport is arguably unmatched by any other country. The dollar is still king! As such, there has been a massive push by Liberty to get Americans more involved in the sport, and despite a cancelled 2020 GP at the Circuit of the Americas, there has been an upward trend in participation and viewership. The 2019 event in Austin, for instance, enjoyed a 40 000 spectator increase over the previous year, while last year as viewership for the sport fell around the world due to Covid-19, the US held steady and even saw a marginal gain. The biggest reason for this stability seems to be the free-rights that ESPN enjoys after Liberty cancelled a
FORMULA ONE
reportedly $4 million (R59.3m) contract with NBC – a tactic that concentrates on quantity over any financial considerations. To further facilitate this growth, the F1 calendar will introduce a second GP to the country in a 10-year deal, a street circuit around Miami next year, while Netflix’s Drive to Survive has also played its part in generating interest worldwide. Perhaps the biggest concern, however, is the lack of an American driver. The last US driver to win a race was Michael Andretti at the Dutch GP in 1978, while Alexander Rossi had a five-event stint in 2015. Currently, there are no US drivers within F1, despite Haas F1 being owned by an American. F1 needs to tackle this specific problem and continue to invest heavily in the US – it is key to their survival.
Top: The F1 calendar will introduce a second GP to the United States in a 10-year deal. Right: Red Bull’s Sebastian Vettel enjoys the moment at the Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas in 2012.
FORMULA ONE
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ON FIRE It has been a long road from Khayelitsha to Tel Aviv for speedy winger Xolisa Guma Photos: BackpagePix By: HERMAN GIBBS XOLISA Guma’s life ambition has been to ease the plight of his family living in Khayelitsha. It has been his source of motivation ever since leaving the Western Cape to take up a scholarship at Maritzburg College, after being spotted while playing for Boland in the Grant Khomo u-16 Week. Now 24, the speedy winger is certainly well on his way after securing a career breakthrough move to Israeli franchise, the Tel Aviv Heat, to play in the newly-formed European Super Cup. “This honestly means the world to me and my family to sign for this organisation. It answered prayers for me when coach Kevin made an offer for me to sign for the Tel Aviv Heat, the timing was perfect and I simply could not turn it down. “It’s a very exciting project and I am looking forward to being coached by great coaches Kevin and Demetri. I can not wait to meet all the boys who have signed for the team. I promise to work hard and score some tries. I just thank God for this opportunity,” he said. Guma’s rugby journey has seen him turn out for the Sharks Academy, Tuks University where he shone in the Varsity Cup, and also the Blue Bulls
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in Pretoria. But he now calls Tel Aviv home, with the Heat having strong South African, in particular Western Cape, ties as the team is coached by Kevin Musikanth, formerly of the University of Cape Town. His assistant is Demetri Catrakilis, the former Ikeys, Western Province, Stormers and Southern Kings flyhalf. Musikanth speaks highly of Guma, who enjoys nothing short of cult-hero status in his hometown of Khayelitsha. “Xolisa comes highly rated with exceptional references from his coaches, like Frankie Horne [SA Rugby 7s coach] and John Mitchell [former Lions, Bulls coach]. Both rate Xolisa highly and tip him to go all the way,” said Musikanth. “We look forward to unlocking his unique potential and energy during the journey of the Tel Aviv Heat.” Guma says he’s tried to model his game on Sharks flyer Makazole Mapimpi, who was one of the Springbok heroes of the 2019 Rugby World Cup triumph in Japan. The youngster has plenty in common with Mapimpi, who hails from a similar disadvantaged background in Eastern Cape, and if he is able to blaze away at the Heat, Guma may soon be playing alongside his hero.
RUGBY
Above: Everything Xolisa Guma achieves in the game of rugby is to improve his loving family’s well-being. Top Right: Guma celebrates a try with his Tuks teammate Dewald Naude in the 2019 Varsity Cup final against Maties. Bottom Right: The flying Guma was a try-scoring machine for KwaZulu-Natal back at Craven Week in 2015.
RUGBY
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POUNDING THE PAVEMENTS WELCOME to the first edition of our SPORTS DRIPS feature in a DigiMag. Sports Drips celebrated its first anniversary last week 16 October 2021 and we will be doing a few major give-aways for our birthday! So what is Sports Drips? We at Sports Drips look at the latest sportswear trends from sports around the world and from time to time we will drop into the past to give you that nostalgic feel on some of the legendary sports gear from all the brands that have been dominant in the market across various sporting codes from running to basketball to football. The focus will be on how the technology and design impacts each sport and we will also be letting you know which icon uses these items to be at their peak.
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The platform is hosted on www.iol.co.za/sport and Facebook for now. Today we will be looking at some running gear by Under Armour – The American sports brand that has been making waves in the SA market. UNDER ARMOUR: Men’s UA HOVR™ Mega 2 Clone running shoes. Price: R3 199.00 Less is more until you’ve tried UA
ADVERTORIAL
HOVR, Under Armour’s unparalleled cushioning system that has runners wanting MORE. The UA HOVR Mega 2 Clone, the newest member of the UA HOVR running shoe family, offers maximum cushioning for ultimate cruise-control comfort. With 32mm stack height, the new UA HOVR Mega 2 Clone is for the runner who wants the most protection for their training. The UA HOVR Mega 2 Clone will be available in South Africa from October 2021 and will be available at https:// underarmour.co.za and at UA Brand Houses across South Africa. Check out Sports Drip SA on social media. Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ sportsaonline YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=K1dEC2T4s3s
