Proteas captain Temba Bavuma is adamant that they’ve thrown in a new five-bob for a ‘New Game’ after Netherlands made it ‘Game Over’ for them the last time they met in a Cricket World Cup.
It was November 6 last year and South Africa needed a win in their final T20 Super Six group match against the Oranje to advance to the next stage.
But an unbeaten 41 by Man of the Match and South African-born Colin Ackerman saw the Dutch post 158/4 in their 20 overs, before another SA-born player Brandon Glover took 3/9 to restrict SA to 145/8 and end their tournament.
🏏GAME DAY
— Proteas Men (@ProteasMenCSA) October 17, 2023
Raring to GO against the Netherlands in Dharamshala 🇿![CDATA[]]>🇦![CDATA[]]>🇳![CDATA[]]>🇱.Can we make it three wins at the #CWC23?🏆
🏟️HPCA Stadium
🕓10:30
📺Supersport Grandstand (Ch 201) & SABC 3⃣#CWC23 #WozaNawe #BePartOfIt pic.twitter.com/Kx209ORX5i
Things are different, though, heading into the third round of the 50-over World Cup in India on Tuesday.
As the two teams take the field in Dharamsala, where rain could wash out the game or cause delays in the 10.30am start, SA are high on confidence after beating Sri Lanka and Australia in their first two matches, while Ackerman and his teammates are in the hunt for a first win after going down to Pakistan and New Zealand.
Asked whether they still want to avenge that November day in Adelaide, Australia, Bavuma says: “Not at all. I think we’ll give them the respect that they deserve, Netherlands. We know that their side will prepare with proper attention to detail and they’ll cover their bases. So, we’ve got to make sure that we do the same thing, we make sure that we pitch up, there’s no expectation that things are just going to happen our way.”
He adds: “We definitely won’t be taking them lightly. There was a T20 World Cup last year, so 50 over World Cup now, different format, different ask in terms of your skills, being able to do your skills for a longer period of time. So, I think that’s something that I think we all need to appreciate.
“Like I said, we played them in South Africa and I think our victories there were emphatic in my view. So, I think in terms of the confidence and belief within the team without us being arrogant or loud about it I think it’s still up there…”