“The only thing the past gives us is
learning.”
Rob Walter, the head coach of South Africa, uttered
this proverb when discussing his team’s 2022 T20 World Cup loss to the
Netherlands. In addition to being stunned, South Africa was eliminated from the
competition. However, they have realised their error, Walter claimed.
Therefore, South Africa won’t view Netherlands as an
inferior opponent when the two teams square off in Dharamsala on Tuesday. They
shouldn’t be put under any pressure at the same time. The extended format this
time lessens the likelihood of a shock. Earlier this year, South Africa
defeated Netherlands by eight wickets and 146 runs in their two one-day
international matches.
Perhaps a more important factor is South Africa’s
recent performance; they have won five straight games. They batted first in
each of those games, scored more than 300 runs, crossed the 400-run threshold
twice, and won by more than 100 runs. They may have the best hitting lineup in
this World Cup. Ten hitters have amassed 400 or more ODI runs since the year
2023, with an average above 50 and a strike rate over 100. Temba Bavuma, Aiden
Markram, David Miller, and Heinrich Klaasen are the four South Africans in the
group. Quinton de Kock isn’t far behind either with 552 runs at 46.00 and
97.52.
What about Netherlands’ chances then? They have lost
both of their matches so far in this World Cup, but have shown fight. To win,
however, they need to put together all three phases of the game, as their
batter Colin Ackermann noted after the New Zealand loss.
For inspiration, they too can look at the past. If it
can be done once, it can be done again. And they don’t even have to jog back
all the way to last year. They just need to look at Sunday’s game, where
Afghanistan toppled defending champions England.