South Africa simply should have adapted better to conditions in their T20 World Cup semi-final against New Zealand, according to former Proteas batsman Alviro Petersen.
South Africa were thumped by the Kiwis by nine wickets with over seven overs to spare. That was after the Proteas posted a way below-par 169 batting first.
Among the top-six batsmen the highest score was 34 as the Proteas were reduced to 77/5. Though they recovered to some extent with Marco Jansen’s 55 from 30 balls, it was never going to be enough.
Leading up to their semi, South Africa had played five of their seven games in Ahmedabad. Two of their games were in Delhi, but their match against New Zealand was at Eden Gardens where they looked out of sorts from the start.
New Zealand’s Dominance and South Africa’s Mental Hurdles in T20 Cricket
“It is a factor. But any international team should be able to adapt to conditions and find a way,” Petersen told SportsBoom.co.za.
“(South Africa’s past defeats to New Zealand in knockout games) could have been a mental factor and something that’s been lingering in the back of their minds,” said Petersen.
“In T20 cricket, you need your top three or four to set the platform, and unfortunately, that wasn’t the case in this game. Having said that, New Zealand did their homework like they always do. Also, New Zealand did not allow the Proteas to get away.”
For New Zealand, Finn Allen’s blistering 100 off just 33 deliveries didn’t just swing the contest — it obliterated it. His calculated aggression dismantled South Africa’s hopes and ensured the chase was a formality rather than a contest.
So was it a choke? Not quite. A choke implies surrendering from a winning position. The Proteas were never truly in control. Even Proteas coach Shukri Conrad put it down to a bad day at the office in the aftermath.
New Zealand were simply calmer, smarter, and ruthlessly efficient. On the biggest stage, that made all the difference.
@Michael_Sherman
IOL Sport
