When a place in the semifinal was much the easier option, South Africa somehow managed to find a way of embracing elimination, adding to their growing reputation as ‘chokers.’
At the same venue where they so famously crashed out of the 2003 World Cup, the Proteas went out of the Twenty20 World Cup too following a 37-run drubbing at the hands of India on Thursday night. Chasing 154 for victory, Graeme Smith’s men needed just 126 to make the semis, but they limped to 116 for nine to exit their own party early.
“We do find ways to get out of these tournaments,” a distraught Smith conceded. “We lost only one game in this competition and we are out of the tournament, that is a bit weird. We always knew that batting second under lights would be really difficult. We bowled well in the first ten overs but the last ten were not so clinical. 150 was always going to be tough to chase with the track a little juiced up under lights. Once we went a couple down very early, we never really got a hold of the game.”
Asked why the crucial game syndrome continued to afflict the Proteas, Smith replied, “In this tournament, every game is a big game. The fact is that we lost only one match while some teams (Australia) are in the semis and they have lost two! That is a tough pill to swallow. But the way we lost is more disappointing than the loss itself. Maybe the experience was missing in the team.”
His take on the fresh, unused Kingsmead strip? “This track had a lot more to offer the bowlers. It was a lot greener too. Still, I was disappointed that we went five wickets down as quickly as we did. All credit to India. Their last six overs with the bat was excellent, and they did very well with the ball too. They bowled and fielded superbly to put us under pressure. India didn’t come up with anything that we didn’t expect. The energy was excellent, and they handled the more intense and important moments better than us. You have to give credit where it is due, but we are hugely disappointed.”
Smith was obviously impressed with India’s young guns. “In this format of the game, the young guys are doing well. They are very exciting and gutsy. Even when they went three down, they weren’t afraid to play their strokes and get themselves to a good total. If they carry on like this, they will certainly do well.”
