Cape Town – The Proteas plunged to new depths in their inglorious T20 Cup history on Sunday when the Netherlands produced an inspired display to send South Africa home.
The latest defeat, though, is just another instalment of South Africa’s inglorious record at the T20 Cup. Sport’s Zaahier Adams relives the previous nightmares.
Durban, September 20, 2007
India: 153/5 v South Africa: 116/9
India won by 37 runs
South Africa entered their final group match of the inaugural T20 Cup unbeaten and with virtually one foot in the playoffs. They did not even need to overhaul India’s target to progress to the semi-finals. All they required was to get 126 and New Zealand would be eliminated on net run-rate. However, the hosts’ bubble burst when RP Singh claimed 4/19 and South Africa fell 10 runs short of the required target. A stunned Kingsmead crowd sat in silence watching the drama unfold before them.
1st Semi-Final, Nottingham, June 18, 2009
Pakistan: 149/4 v South Africa: 142/5
Pakistan won by 7 runs
On this occasion South Africa had actually qualified for the semi-finals already. Again they were unbeaten and the form team of the competition, beating New Zealand, West Indies and India along the way. The bowlers did well to restrict Pakistan to a manageable total, despite Shahid Afridi’s swashbuckling 51 off 34 balls. But with the momentum on the side of the Asian giants and Afridi spurring them on – now with ball in hand – they squeezed South Africa, who ultimately succumbed under the pressure to lose a pulsating semi-final by seven runs.
Gros Islet, May 10, 2010
Pakistan: 148/7 v South Africa 137/7
Pakistan won by 10 runs
Charl Langeveldt delivered a masterclass of death bowling to claim 4/19 that restricted Pakistan to an achievable target on a good batting surface. However, South Africa’s batting unit misfired again when placed under pressure with only AB de Villiers playing with any fluency for his 53. But a batting line-up that consisted of Graeme Smith, Jacques Kallis, JP Duminy, De Villiers and Morkel should have hauled in that total and instead South Africa were sent crashing out of the tournament.
2nd semi-final Dhaka, April 04, 2014
South Africa 172/4 v India 176/4
South Africa had actually shown good mental resolve until the semi-final stages with a couple of nail-biting victories over the Netherlands, England and New Zealand leading into the playoffs. They gave themselves a good chance of qualifying for their first global final too with a half-century from captain Faf du Plessis laying the platform. However, they once again wilted when the furnace was turned on as they could not stop Virat Kohli from masterminding India’s successful run chase.
Adelaide, November 06, 2022
Netherlands: 158/4 v South Africa 145/8
Netherlands won by 13 runs
South Africa took the choke levels to new heights on Sunday in Adelaide. Considered one of the favourites for the tournament due to their power-packed squad, the Proteas required straight victory over the Dutch to advance to the semi-finals. But with the help of a host of former South Africans in their midst, the Dutch hauled a rabbit out of the bag to throw the entire T20 Cup wide open with a shock victory over the Proteas. Adelaide 2022 will forever be remembered as a momentous moment in Dutch cricket history, it will in reverse always be one of the darkest days on the South African calendar as the Proteas crashed out of the T20 Cup.
@ZaahierAdams
