Johannesburg – South Africa’s selectors will determine if Proteas skipper Temba Bavuma will play in the opening match of the T20 World Cup during a weekend meeting.
Convener of selectors Victor Mpitsang, who is in Brisbane where the squad is completing its preparations for the competition, is reticent about Bavuma’s status following the captain’s recent dismal run of form in the T20 format.
“We have not yet settled on the starting lineup. Saturday we will travel to Hobart, and then we will evaluate the weather. Before making a decision, we will hold a meeting and receive feedback from Bouch (coach Mark Boucher),” Mpitsang added.
The Proteas’ final warm-up match against Bangladesh was postponed due to rain on Wednesday, depriving Bavuma from receiving much-needed middle-order practice. “He would have definitely played,” said Mpitsang, who observed the team’s first warm-up match against New Zealand, which Bavuma missed to give him more time to recover from an illness that also kept him out of the last two one-day internationals against India two weeks prior.
Bavuma’s form has been in the spotlight since he missed the Proteas tour to England due to an elbow injury. In that T20 series against England, Reeza Hendricks displayed a deep vein of form, scoring a total of 180 runs and, more impressively, a strike rate of 156.52 to earn player of the series honors. Hendricks has hit four half-centuries in his past five T20 international innings, and his form remained strong in India when he scored 74 in the second ODI after replacing Bavuma.
Although his scores are less consistent than Hendricks’, Rilee Rossouw has scored 96 and 100 in two of the last five innings.
When asked if the selectors, which include Boucher, could disregard such form, Mpitsang responded, “It is extremely difficult to tell, uh, we will make a decision.” It is fortunate that everyone has had a successful run.” Everyone except Bavuma, who scored zero, zero, and three runs in his last three T20 innings.
Mpitsang has observed attentively as the team has been put through its paces in Brisbane during what he characterized as two rigorous training sessions. Everyone had a successful practice” (Thursday). (Bavuma) was looking terrific,” he remarked.
The composition of the bowling assault is the second selection issue, which, while not as controversial, will certainly nonetheless spark debate. Mpitsang stated, “We have numerous choices.”
With the addition of Marco Jansen, who replaced the injured Dwaine Pretorius in the quick bowling department, South Africa now has an abundance of excellent quick bowlers. In addition to two quality spinners, Keshav Maharaj and Tabraiz Shamsi, the selectors will employ a “horses for courses” strategy.
“We will carefully analyze the conditions. There has been considerable rainfall. The good news is that if we need to play two spinners, we have the appropriate personnel to do it. We are really pleased with the resources we have,” Mpitsang remarked.
SA’s first match will be played in Hobart on Monday against an opponent determined by the last round of first-round matches on Friday.
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