Image Credit- ICC
In reality, South Africa’s choice to bat first on Monday at the T20 World Cup 2024 in New York—a ground they have won two matches chasing—was an homage to Bangladesh’s bowlers.
“Third game on the wicket,” Player of the Match Heinrich Klaasen said about the decision. “These guys are incredible when the wicket becomes slow. So that was the biggest reason why we didn’t want to chase 120. Because the wicket was definitely better than other games. But given Bangladesh, when pressure is on, and they have to go into cutters, they’ve got some of the world’s best cutter bowlers and their spinners are high quality. So that was the biggest reason why we chose to bat first.”
At 23 for 4, South Africa was in serious trouble, but they made the decision to escape, just like they would have in an ODI’s middle overs. They knew going into the T20I that they would only be going for one run every ball, not caring if they fell short of six runs per over as long as they were within striking distance.
“I think David [Miller] showed us in the previous game [against Netherlands] how to bat on this wicket and it’s almost a similar way that we bat in the middle overs in a one-day game,” Klaasen said. “So, our mindset is not even close to T20 cricket. You just want to get in and find a way to bat at a run a ball. And we know you’re one or two hits away just for going over the run-a-ball strike-rate.”
In these conditions, three teams have engaged in close pursuits. Under Miller’s leadership, South Africa prevailed even though they were never in the lead. Pakistan tried the same strategy and lost. Bangladesh lost an early wicket, but they were never able to overtake the chase, or were never given the opportunity. Towhid Hridoy, their best hitter of the day, stated that he should have continued for a longer period of time even if there wasn’t anything wrong with going at about a run a ball.
“From that position I should have finished the match,” Hridoy said when asked if Bangladesh could have perhaps tried to get ahead of the rate sooner. “It’s difficult for new batsmen to adjust to the conditions. In that position, I should have finished the match.”