Sports
T20 World Cup: Nerves will be there, but South Africa go in with very little pressure, says Paul Adams
Bridgetown (Barbados), June 29 (IANS) After 54 matches, the 2024 Men’s T20 World Cup has reached its conclusion point through Saturday’s engrossing title clash between unbeaten sides India and South Africa at the Kensington Oval.
For South Africa, it’s the first time they are playing a men’s Cricket World Cup final after seven previous heartbreaks in the knockouts. But the Aiden Markram-led side haven’t crumbled under pressure and have managed to come out on top every single time by winning key moments.
Former South Africa spinner Paul Adams, who played 45 Tests and 25 ODIs, speaks exclusively to IANS on the Proteas entering the title clash, how they stack up against a formidable Indian team, Aiden Markram stepping up as the leader and more. Excerpts:
Q. How big an occasion is it for South Africa to play in a men’s World Cup final through Saturday’s title clash against India?
A. I think it’s a massive occasion for South Africa. As a cricket player, plus as cricket fans, and South Africans, there’s always been this voodoo of South Africa not entering the finals of the competition. Now, they’ve won some very close games and handled pressure very well. So, for me, this final is important for how people perceive South African cricket in the world and how it’s seen in South Africa as well.
You watch the scenes on social media, and behind the scenes in the changing room, and there’s so much joy in what they’re showing towards each other. This occasion is one to just embrace and make sure that you understand the moment, talk about it and not really hide what feelings you’ve got inside for it.
You best deal with these moments if you just talk about those feelings that you have. It’s about being themselves on the day, and these players have played in lots of finals of various tournaments. So, they’ve had the taste of what finals are like.
But it is a World Cup final, and first time, the South Africa men’s walk there, where the nation’s on their shoulders. I’m sure they’ll take a lot of confidence from playing finals previously in various tournaments and they can take it forward into their play in the final.
Q. As you said, South Africa have come out on top of very close games, which has been a real highlight of their campaign. Do you think it will be the year of South Africa winning the title?
A. It’s a great moment for South Africa and I think they go in with very little pressure. There will be lots of nerves, but it’s understandable. They’ve accepted those pressure moments and occasions, especially when they were entering the semifinals. It was a big moment for them to just get over that hurdle.
They understand it’s why we play cricket for – while we play these big tournaments, it’s about to win it by getting into the final. You’ve got to cherish, really enjoy each moment and not fear anything. Yes, they’re up against an Indian side who’s performed really well, and who’s got all the expectation on them.
But if I just look in past history, India has also fallen and not won the big occasions at many times. So, for me, it’s making sure that South Africa is well-prepared, and understand each player really well. They’ll understand them really well because a lot of them play in the IPL either against or with each other in certain teams.
There’s also on the coaching staff, someone like Eric Simons, who’s had great experience with Chennai Super Kings and within the structure of Indian cricket team. So, understanding each player that we’re up against will do good for South Africa.
Plus, it’s all about execution on the day. A little bit of luck here and there, you’re going past the final hurdle. South Africa will want to be giving it all and make sure that everyone’s really well prepared, calm and understand that they’re confident about their performances in the final.
Q. Just like Rohit Sharma, Aiden Markram hasn’t lost a game as a captain. He’s been calm and sorted in pressure situations. What have been the standout aspects of his leadership in the tournament so far?
A. What I see is he’s been handling the pressure really well. More so, it’s his decision-making in the moment has been clinical. Where he’s read conditions and understood that maybe he had to bowl a lot more spin up front and attacked with it, he has done that and left the seamers at the back end.
He’s also known when the seamers had to attack and how to manages them, like does he bowl them through, especially in that semi-final against Afghanistan where there was a lot of assistance for them. He put those seam bowlers up front and got the wickets, instead of holding them back and one may have thought, he could have let the game go.
If that had happened, he would have got either of the spinners on and maybe Afghanistan would have put a partnership together and constructed their innings a lot better. South Africa only had three seamers in their armory, but they really came to the party.
Markram has been a good leader, and if you look at him from the outside, it’s that calmness, how he manages the troops and how he just sort of he’s getting the best out of a lot of these players.
Q. How big a role do you think Keshav Maharaj and Tabraiz Shamsi will play in the final for South Africa?
A. The spinners have played a big role and have been absolutely superb through the middle-overs, even though the quicks are up there with the leading wicket-takers. Keshav has been effective, and Shamsi especially has come in when the pitches have looked like it’s going to spin. In that game against Nepal, he took two up front and two more at the back to really just put the whole strangle on the side.
He’s a wicket-taker, and in terms of wrist spinners, for me, he’s going to be key. Even in the Indian side, when Kuldeep has come on, he showed that he can get breakthroughs. So, the spin bowlers on both sides are going to be important, like how both teams manage them, control the run rate and really look to attack on either way.
Q. In your opinion, how would the South African batters go about in handling the challenges mainly coming from Kuldeep Yadav, Axar Patel and Jasprit Bumrah?
A. It’s managing upfront that’s more important. Getting up against Arshdeep and Bumrah is key, because they’ve been a strike force by taking early wickets and really putting teams under pressure. South Africa’s batting line-up can manage them, like you’ve got Reeza Hendricks, who just got some good form in tough conditions.
They had to show some batsmanship in the semi-finals, as Hendricks and Markram, didn’t have enough form in the previous group stages. Then, all of a sudden, on a tough wicket in the semi-finals, they had to grind and really focus to put a partnership together.
Maybe that’s a turning point for them coming good at the right time. So, we need our batters up front to really construct the innings, be confident, and score runs, especially against those seam bowlers up front. Once that’s set up, which is the key, we understand what Heinrich Klassen has been over the last year and a half.
Him and David Miller are great finishers of the game. But Klassen in particular, has taken down spin, either in SA20, or IPL. He has shown that he is looking to dominate against the spin bowlers and take control against them. So, it’s going to be a great contest.
Q. A word on the decisive roles the fast-bowling trio of Kagiso Rabada, Marco Jansen and Anrich Nortje will be playing in the final, especially with South Africa going to play at Barbados for the first time in this competition.
A. The South African fast-bowlers have been really good in the lengths they’ve been bowling in and according to the field sets that have been placed. So, a lot of the times their use of Anrich Nortje outside the power-play has been absolutely vital in trying to strike and take wickets, and they’ve used it in an aggressive fashion.
You can look at the field placing, like mid-on and mid-off has come up. Then all of a sudden, you see the square fielders and third man and fine leg is back. So, you’ve got to know they’re going to hit that deck hard and really come through the bat splice area. So, for subcontinent teams, that can be a challenge.
It depends on the field too, if it’s short square or short straight boundaries, and how they want to go the length in that way. A lot of the time we’ve played on fields there where the straights have been short. So, you want to be hitting hard length and that’s execution. So, you’ve got to top your hat off in saying that the fast bowlers have come to the party for them.
Q. What are the boxes you think South Africa will be aiming to put a tick mark on in the final?
A. It’s creating partnership upfront. If South Africa can tick that box, either in the top three or better, that should really get themselves in and control the innings. The rest of the power hitters down the middle and lower end can really look to dominate in the back end of the innings. That’s going to be important for them, and so from that top three, one of them has to really get through the overs, with good intensity in that sense.
Not about blocking and going at a run a ball, but this World Cup has been more about assessing conditions, and that’s going to be important in being able to knock it through and get the runs. We look at some difficult wickets where they played on early in the competition, which means it’s about those assessing the conditions and getting through it.
If it’s a good surface there at Barbados, it’s going to be a really good battle then. When it comes to bowling, it’s about taking wickets up front, because Rohit Sharma has been a real sword for the Indian side. He’s shown that again and again, time after time, what he becomes in big games, whenever he put the performances in. If South Africa can really knock the wind out of the sails up front, it’s going to be key in the final.
Q. Could you explain your emotions ahead of South Africa playing a final and being on the cusp of glory?
A. For me, I’m quite excited. I don’t know how I’m going to sleep on Friday night. I’m thinking about those moments all the time, and I think every South African is, as well as every past player who’s played in the World Cup, and been in those moments. All of us are so proud of this team, who have stepped into the moment and got us into the final.
We are waiting with bated breath on how they’re going to perform. But no matter what the result is, I’m very proud of this unit in terms of how they carried and conducted themselves, as well as how they played in those pressure moments. We’re really just ready to go for them.
I’ve said to everyone – no one’s going to bother me on Saturday as I will be watching the final, with my snacks ready. We’ve been waiting for this moment for many years, sitting and watching South Africa play in a World Cup final. A lot of South Africans will be lighting the fire, putting the barbecue and braai on, and enjoy seeing this moment.
–IANS
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Bengaluru, Aug 22 (IANS) Shivamogga Lions’ woes continued as they suffered a 28-run defeat to the Mysore Warriors in the Maharaja Trophy KSCA T20 at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium on Thursday.
Mysore Warriors delivered a well-rounded performance, anchored by Karun Nair’s (45) swift knock, supported by a few other good contributions in the middle order, and highlighted by late-innings fireworks from J Suchith (22*) and Manoj Bhandage (23).
On the bowling front, Vidyadhar Patil (3/29) and Karthik CA (3/31) played crucial roles in restricting the Shivamogga Lions. Sharath HS’ (4/29) lethal spell with the ball and valiant efforts from Abhinav Manohar (46) and Nihal Ullal (46) with the bat couldn’t turn the tide in Shivamogga’s favour.
Chasing 180, Shivamogga Lions got off to a disastrous start, with Vidyadhar Patil’s lethal first over leading to the dismissals of Mohith Bangalore (2) and Dheeraj Mohan (0) in consecutive deliveries. Skipper Nihal Ullal (46) managed to crack a few early boundaries, but Hardik Raj (17) was also removed by Krishnappa Gowtham, leaving the Lions reeling at 41/3 by the end of the powerplay.
K Gowtham then engineered the run out of Rohan Naveen (11), further denting the chase. The in-form Abhinav Manohar (Impact Player) joined Ullal, and the duo breathed life into the innings, putting together a 70-run partnership in just 43 balls.
However, Ullal fell short of his first half-century of the season, leaving the Shivamogga Lions at 123/5 in 15.1 overs. Manohar also narrowly missed his milestone, holing out to K Gowtham off Karthik CA. Manohar’s 26-ball knock included four sixes and three fours, adding valuable runs to the total.
Karthik CA struck again two deliveries later, dismissing Shivraj S and leaving the Lions in deep trouble. With 47 runs needed from the final 18 balls, Ashok D tried to keep the chase alive by smashing a six and a four off Vidyadhar Patil, but perished in the same over, effectively ending Shivamogga’s prospects. Shivamogga Lions finished at 151/9 in 20 overs, enduring their sixth consecutive loss.
Batting first, Mysore Warriors faced an early challenge as Sharath HS unleashed a menacing spell. He struck in the powerplay, dismissing Karthik SU (8), and then returned in the seventh over to remove CA Karthik (30), who smashed three sixes in a 34-run stand with Karun Nair (45) and Harshil Dharmani (0).
Nair continued in fine touch and peppered the boundary with six fours and two sixes during his 23-ball stay before falling to Ashok D in the 11th over.
Kishan Bedare (17) steered the innings, forming a 28-run partnership with Nair and adding another 29 runs with Sumit Kumar (28) before being caught and bowled by Bharath Dhuri, leaving the Warriors at 116/5 in 16.1 overs. The depth of Mysore’s batting lineup came to the fore as Manoj Bhandage and J Suchith launched a late assault.
Vasuki Koushik, tasked with the 18th over, began with a six and a four from Sumit Kumar. Bhandage then took charge, hammering three consecutive sixes off Koushik in the same over before falling as Sharath’s fourth wicket in the 19th ending a blistering 23-run cameo off just seven balls. J Suchith, carried on the momentum, smashing two sixes and a four in an 8-ball flurry, pushing the Mysore Warriors to a competitive 179/7 in their 20 overs.
Brief scores: Mysore Warriors 179 for 7 in 20 overs (Karthik CA 30, Karun Nair 45, Sumit Kumar 28; Sharath HS 4-29) beat Shivamogga Lions 151/9 in 20 overs (Nihal Ullal 46, Abhinav Manohar 46 runs; Vidyadhar Patil 3-29, Karthik CA 3-31) by 28 runs.
–IANS
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Castle Rock (Colorado), Aug 22 (IANS) Indian Americans Sahith Theegala and Akshay Bhatia who failed to make it to the Top-10 last week at the St Jude Championships, the first of the three Play-offs events, will be looking for a better showing as they move towards the finale at the Tour Championships after that.
Last week Hideki Matsuyama, after leading by five at one time, had to birdie the last two holes to win the St Jude Championships. He became the first Asian to win a Play-off event and it was his 10th PGA Tour win, the highest from the continent.
Last week Bhatia was T-12, Rai was T-16 and Theegala was way behind in T-46, but all three have entered the second of the three Play-offs events.
World No, 2 Xander Schauffele, a two-time Major winner in 2024, was tied second last week with Viktor Hovland, while World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler was fourth last week, though World No. 3 Rory McIlroy had a poor week in T-68 place.
Among Asians Korea’s Si Woo Kim has all to play for at the BMW Championship, the second of three FedExCup Playoffs events, in Colorado this week, with two big goals providing the drive for him to step up his game.
The four-time PGA TOUR winner tees up at Castle Pines Golf Club with the intention of breaking into the top-30 of the FedExCup points list and qualify for the Playoffs Finale, the TOUR Championship next week. Kim is presently ranked 44th after last week’s FedEx St. Jude Championship.
A strong week is also required for Kim to keep alive his hopes of earning a spot in the International Team to face the U.S. Team in the Presidents Cup in Royal Montreal next month. Currently 14th on the team roster, the top-6 after this week’s BMW Championship will secure automatic spots, with captain Mike Weir naming six more picks after the TOUR Championship.
Compatriots Sungjae Im and Byeong Hun An, who are 10th and 15th respectively on the FedExCup rankings, are virtually assured of teeing up at the TOUR Championship, which will use a staggered-scoring format based on positions after this week.
Irrespective of how his week plays out, Kim is pleased to secure his top-50 status, which guarantees starts in all eight Signature tournaments next season.
–IANS
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New Delhi, Aug 22 (IANS) The packed schedule of men’s county cricket in 2025 will remain largely unchanged, despite concerns raised by the majority of players over the impact on their physical well-being.
According to a survey conducted by the Professional Cricketers’ Association (PCA) earlier this season, more than 80 per cent of players expressed fears that the current schedule is too demanding and poses risks to their health.
However, despite these concerns, the 2025 schedule is set to continue as usual. Each county will still compete in a minimum of 14 County Championship matches, eight Metro Bank Cup fixtures, and 14 Vitality T20 Blast games. The changes for next season will be largely cosmetic, offering little relief for players concerned about the gruelling calendar.
The PCA has been advocating for adjustments that would spread out the T20 fixtures across the week, aiming to reduce tight turnarounds and introduce more consistent three-day breaks between Championship games.
“There’s definitely room for improvement in 2025 compared to 2024,” said Daryl Mitchell, the PCA’s interim chief executive, in an interview with ESPNcricinfo. “The schedule can definitely be managed better. Certainly, the Blast was very much looked at through a commercial lens, trying to squeeze as many games as possible into Thursday, Friday, and Sunday. Utilizing the majority of the week is probably the way forward, trying to spread them out to give that time for recovery, travel, and preparation.”
The T20 Blast, in particular, has been the main point of debate when it comes to scheduling. The timing of the knockout stages has been a significant concern. In 2023, these stages were held immediately after the group matches in July, allowing counties to retain their overseas players. This year, however, the knockout stages will be pushed to September, giving clubs an extended six-week window to market and sell tickets for home quarter-finals.
While these adjustments offer slight improvements, the overall schedule remains packed, leaving many players apprehensive about how much more they can push themselves physically in the long term. Despite the calls for change, it appears that any significant reduction in the number of fixtures is unlikely in the future, with commercial considerations still driving much of the decision-making process around county cricket.
–IANS
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New Delhi, Aug 22 (IANS) After ending his T20I career with an elusive T20 World Cup title in Barbados, captain Rohit Sharma revealed that it was his dream to transform the team without thinking too much about the results.
Rohit-led Indian team ended the decade-long ICC title drought after beating South Africa in the final of the T20 World Cup 2024 to lift their second title in the format. In 2023, the Men in Blue failed to win the World Test Championship and 2023 ODI World Cup under Rohit’s leadership after losing to Australia in the finals.
The swashbuckling opening batter also credited the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) secretary Jay Shah, former head coach Rahul Dravid and chief selector Ajit Agarkar for their support in transforming the team and creating a fearless culture in the squad.
“It was my dream to transform this team and not worry too much about stats and results and also to make sure that we create an environment where people can go out and play freely, without thinking too much. I got a lot of help from my three pillars Jay Shah, Rahul Dravid and chairman of selector Ajit Agarkar. That was critical for me to do what I did. Obviously, not to forget players who came in at different points in time and helped the team to achieve what we have achieved today,” Rohit said in a video posted by BCCI on X.
On Wednesday, Rohit was awarded ‘Men’s International Cricketer of the Year’ while Dravid was accorded the ‘Lifetime Achievement Award’ at Ceat Cricket Rating Awards 2023-24 in Mumbai. India’s batting stalwart Virat Kohli was named the ‘Men’s ODI Batter of the Year’ while on the bowling front, Mohammed Shami was awarded the ‘ODI Bowler of the Year’.
The 37-year-old batter finished as the second-highest run-getter in the T20 World Cup with 257 runs including three half-centuries and at a strike rate of 156.70. He played a major role in providing solid starts for the team on the slow pitches of the USA and the West Indies.
After lifting the title, Rohit joined Kohli to announce his retirement from the T20I. With 4,231 runs, Rohit is the leading run-getter in the format behind his teammate Kohli (4188 runs). Both batters will continue to play the other formats of the game. The duo last featured for India in the three-match ODI series against Sri Lanka earlier this month.
–IANS
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Gotemba (Japan), Aug 22 (IANS) A year after being the youngest ever to make the cut at the Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship, Kartik Singh, now 14 years of age, is the highest ranked among the four Indians set to take part in the 15th AAC to be held in Japan.
As of date Kartik is the highest ranked Indian at 199 while the other three players to have received the invitation for this prestigious event are Krishnav Nikhil Chopra and Vedant Sirohi, both past participants in the event and Rakshit Dahiya will be in the four-player team.
Kartik Singh has also been named to the 2024 Junior Presidents Cup team. A regular winner in junior and amateur events, Kartik will spearhead the Indian challenge.
Apart from India’s Kartik Singh, there are seven others named to the 2024 Junior Presidents Cup International Team. They are Joshua Bai, Warut Boonrod, Xihuan Chang, Rayhan Latief, Khanh Hung Le, Thangwin Lee, Anh Minh Ngyuyen,
As many as 113 players have been confirmed for the Championship, which will be held October 3-6, 2024, at Taiheiyo Club Gotemba in Gotemba, Japan. A full list of confirmed players can be found. The field will be 120 with a few more names to be added by the Organisers.
India’s best ever placing has been second place by Rayhan Thomas, who was runner-up in Sentosa, Singapore in 2018. The Dubai-based Indian Rayhan has since turned professional, and last week won his first pro title on India’s Professional Tour of India Tour.
Krishnav, who plays college golf in the US, is the son of former India cricketer turned commentator, Nikhil Chopraa, who often takes the role of a caddie for his son.
Created in 2009, the Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship was established by the Asia-Pacific Golf Confederation (APGC), The R&A and the Masters Tournament to further develop amateur golf in the Asia-Pacific region.
The champion will receive an invitation to compete in the 2025 Masters Tournament and The 153rd Open, while the runner(s)-up will gain a place in Final Qualifying for The Open.
The confirmed list which has players from 38 APGC member organizations is highlighted by defending champion Jasper Stubbs of Australia and four players representing China inside the top 100 of the World Amateur Golf Ranking: Wenyi Ding (No. 4), Xihuan Chang (No. 36), Xiangyun Bai (No. 61) and Paul Chang (No. 97).
Ding finished runner-up to Stubbs in the 2023 Asia-Pacific Amateur while Xihuan Chang reached the semi-finals of the U.S. Junior Amateur in July.
Other top-100 participants include Vietnam’s Anh Minh Nguyen (No. 68) and Japan’s Rintaro Nakano (No. 78).
Notable past competitors include 2021 Masters champion Hideki Matsuyama, a two-time winner of the Asia-Pacific Amateur, and 2022 Open champion Cameron Smith. Over the Championship’s 14-year history, the Championship has served as a springboard to some of the world’s top players, including Matsuyama, Smith, Cameron Davis, Ryan Fox, Si Woo Kim, Satoshi Kodaira, Kyoung-Hoon Lee, Min Woo Lee, Keita Nakajima and C.T. Pan. Collectively, alumni of the Asia-Pacific Amateur have gone on to win 27 tournaments on the PGA Tour to date and more than 130 across the PGA Tour, DP World Tour, Asian Tour and Japan Golf Tour.
As the host nation, Japan will lead the list of up to 43 APGC member nations represented with 10 players in this year’s field. A player from Japan has won four of the 14 editions of the Championship (Matsuyama/2010, 2011; Takumi Kanaya/2018; Nakajima/2021).
–IANS
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