With missed catches, delayed breakthroughs, and the occasional bit of bad luck, the tournament hasn’t quite gone as planned for Kagiso Rabada, but as long as South Africa’s winning streak lasts, the pace spearhead is happy to concentrate on the greater picture.
Rabada made a contemplative statement in the mixed zone following South Africa’s decisive nine-wicket victory over the West Indies on Thursday.
He has claimed four wickets and gone three games without taking a wicket against New Zealand, the United Arab Emirates, and India. He said that while the team continues to check boxes, personal numbers may wait.
“That’s just the game of cricket. How many times does it actually go for you, and how many times does it not? More often than not it goes for you. Unfortunately, now it hasn’t been, but the most important thing is that we’ve been winning,” PTI quoted Rabada as saying when he was reminded that four catches have gone down off his bowling so far in the tournament.
This South African campaign has been tranquil because of its capacity to win in a variety of ways. Contributions have been made by players from all across the XI, and seasoned heads have mixed in perfectly with a bolder younger generation. In one game, captain Aiden Markram led them home; in another, David Miller did the same. Whether it’s Marco Jansen or Lungi Ngidi, the bowlers have also performed well when needed.
“That’s a good sign. We’ve got a team that’s pretty experienced, mixed up with a bunch of young players as well. If you look at how everyone’s been going in recent times, you take confidence out of their individual performances and that’s been translating into the games,” said Rabada.
He linked the SA20 build-up, when many of the major players found their form prior to competing internationally, to the origins of this collective rise.
“It’s about doing more of the same and hoping that it falls our way,” he said.
Rabada supported his longtime new-ball partner Lungi Ngidi, who has responded to criticism with decisive spells, like a real teammate would.
“I’m extremely happy for Lungs. He’s been under quite a lot of scrutiny over the past two to five years. When you’re doing well, everyone reminds you, and when you’re not, it feels two-fold. I’m incredibly proud of how he’s turned that around. He’s a good friend of mine.”
He spoke eloquently about Corbin Bosch’s ascent, attributing it to “meticulous hard work and prep” over what he described as a “magnificent year and a half.”
Even as the focus has been on larger personalities, Bosch has quietly but significantly contributed to Proteas’ outstanding campaign. Since coming to India, he has taken nine wickets, striking in every match.
Additionally, Rabada provided insight into South Africa’s attack’s tactical environment. Instead of homogenizing individual strengths, he characterized it as a “network” where they are magnified.
Whether it’s Rabada’s ability to swing the ball quickly, Bosch’s variations, or Ngidi’s hidden cutters, the idea is straightforward: focus on what makes each bowler special and build strategies around it.
He acknowledged that the margins are still fine. The memory of the Afghanistan scare earlier in the tournament still makes him cringe. The match had been extended to two Super overs due to his no-ball.
“On the positive side, I made it interesting but if we’d lost that game, I would have taken it quite heavily,” he said.
