Former Proteas coach Russell Domingo expects the players to hold their nerve and win tight contests as they have so far in the tournament ahead of the T20 World Cup final against India in Bridgetown on Saturday.
South Africa’s sole ICC tournament triumph, the Champions Trophy in Bangladesh, came in November 1998. It was three days after the country’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission presented its report that condemned the atrocities during the apartheid era. It was a new start for the nation and cricket brought them hope.
Twenty-five years and eight months later, they are on the cusp of a new wave again as Aiden Markram's charges eye the elusive Cricket World Cup title after beating Afghanistan by nine wickets in the semi-final of the T20 World Cup fixture in Tarouba.
World Cup victory can turn the tide in CSA
Former South Africa coach Russell Domingo, who spent six years with the side until 2017, believes a World Cup victory could be "massive" for Cricket South Africa.
“The board ran into rough waters in the past few years. It lost sponsorships and struggled to generate revenue. South Africa has been yearning for this opportunity for 30 years. It is not just another game. It's a World Cup final, so embrace that sort of high against the high expectations. There will be a lot of nerves, but it is a chance to do something special, which no other Proteas team has done before,” Domingo told SportsBoom.com.
"A World Cup win for South Africa will be massive for the academies, youth cricket, emerging cricket, domestic cricket. It's not just about them winning on Saturday there is a greater picture of money coming back into the game, and sponsors wanting to associate with the team again. There is a lot more than cricket that is at stake in South Africa," he added.
Proteas coach Rob Walter ahead of their T20 World Cup semi-final against Afghanistan on Thursday: "It's a very close group of people, we've come a long way together."
— IOL Sport (@IOLsport) June 26, 2024
📽️: ICC pic.twitter.com/99OASIxmB3
What worked for Proteas
Domingo feels it is unfair to use the word 'choker' for South African cricketers as they have only lost to good teams and were unlucky on certain occasions.
"They have lost to Australia, India, New Zealand and Pakistan in the semi-finals who were better on that day. A lot of these players have been playing in World Cups. This team may have lost six months ago to Australia in the 50-over format, and sometimes, you will need luck to go for you.”
"Against Afghanistan, they lost the toss and bowled first, and against Australia in the 50-over World Cup, they won the toss and batted first in tough conditions. In the previous years, they managed to lose some close games, and this time, they have picked the big moments well. They held their nerve and won the tight contests," said Domingo, who guided the Proteas to the T20 World Cup semi-final in 2014 and the ODI World Cup semi-final in 2015.
Proteas coach Rob Walter has made no attempt to downplay the significance of South Africa’s T20 World Cup semi-final against Afghanistan on Thursday.
— IOL Sport (@IOLsport) June 26, 2024
📽️: ICC pic.twitter.com/r1Ngei7pGu
How to approach the final
Domingo expects the players not to feel intimidated or complacent as their best performance is still due.
"I don't think they have played amazing cricket, but they have played well in the crucial stages which I believe is the most important thing. They have bowled good overs when it was needed," he said.
Throwing light on the challenges of bowling to the likes of Rohit Sharma, he said: "They should not be overawed since they have beaten and bowled to these batters in the past. They have been successful against them. The event should not change your thinking and skills. You are a bowler bowling to a batter at the end of a day.”
"We've played the higher pressure situations well and we're looking to cash in against England." - Proteas batsman Heinrich Klaasen ahead of the Proteas' T20 World Cup Super Eight clash against England on Friday.#T20WC24
— IOL Sport (@IOLsport) June 21, 2024
📽️: ICC pic.twitter.com/ulr0AHjm1M
The Virat Kohli problem
“Virat Kohli has not performed in the tournament so far, but the big games could belong to him. He is one of the greatest players to play the game. The last time I was involved in a semi-final, Virat got 72 off 44 and beat us in Dhaka. He just came off an amazing IPL and it has just been five or six games in tough conditions for the batters.”
“If I were the coach, I would have no concerns with his form going into big games against South Africa," concluded Domingo, who is currently the coach of domestic team Lions in South Africa.
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