I’m not superstitious, but I feel like I keep jinxing it.
For the last few decades, ahead of almost every Cricket World Cup, I’ve been convinced the Proteas are gonna win it.
Yes, they won the World Test Championship last year, but it’s not quite the same, is it? Lifting a limited overs trophy will just hit different.
This time, however, I’m not convinced. Honestly, I don’t think we have much of a chance. And maybe that’s what we need. Less confidence.
Perhaps what we came to call ‘choking’ was just complacency. The longer the trophy drought continued, the more we expected to win. We felt entitled to it.
Statistically, the chances of South Africa going this long without a World Cup cricket title are so slim we just figured it had to come eventually. But every time, no matter how close we get, it just doesn’t happen.
And now, going into the T20 World Cup (they play their first game against Canada on Monday), I feel none of that hope that used to swell within me ahead of a global cricket tournament.
Poor form
The Proteas men reached a World Cup final for the first time at the last edition of the T20 showpiece in 2024, and many of the players who competed in that tournament are in India for the spectacle that starts this weekend.
But the reality is that the SA team have not given us much reason to think they’re ready to finally go all the way.
In the 32 matches they have played in the short format since they competed in the 2024 T20 World Cup final, they have won only 12 games.
In the process, they have lost series to West Indies, India, New Zealand, Australia and Pakistan, and they have thrown away matches against minnows Ireland and Namibia.
Granted, the Proteas have had to juggle between different formats, and their attempt to manage players has resulted in the national squad being represented by second-string teams in some series. But every country is in the same boat due to a packed international fixtures list.
Controversial selection decisions
Even more concerning is the squad selected for this World Cup, with some controversial decisions being made. And while the likes of Ryan Rickelton and Tristan Stubbs have been called up as replacements due to injuries, questions have been raised around the inclusion of batter Jason Smith, while seam bowler Ottneil Baartman is missing despite displaying spectacular form.
So if I’m at least partly responsible for jinxing our chances at previous World Cup tournaments due to overconfidence, I can’t take the blame this time.
As much as I’m quietly praying the Proteas will knock it out the park and return home with a long-awaited limited overs trophy, I’m not holding my breath. I assume they’re going to get thumped.
Perhaps, however, that’s what we need from the players too. A lack of entitlement and complacency. It’s probably better than unbridled hope.
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