Southampton: The tag of eternal chokers is as painful as “Shakespearean trage-dies” but the ongoing World Cup could be different for South Africa since youngsters in the side are not carrying burden of the past, says pacer Kagiso Rabada.
Since their return to international cricket in 1991, the only major event won by South Africa was the 1998 inaugural mini-World Cup (later known as Champions Trophy) in Bangladesh.
They have never made it to the final of an ICC World Cup. “It’s something that has been haunting us for years. It’s like a Shakespearean tragedy almost. Hopefully, we can change that,” Rabada said during an interview before the World Cup began.
Rabada said youngsters like him go into the tournament with a clean slate. “You can’t be anything but positive going into the World Cup. We believe we have every chance to win the World Cup. What has happened in the past, you got to let go of that. We have a young team that has shown potential. And I feel it’s a blessing that not many of them have been to the World Cup,” said the 24-year-old.
When asked about his perfect executions at the death, Rabada said that more than all the homework done, it is all about what works at any given moment. “These days players do a lot of analysis. So the batters and bowlers are looking up histories. You can prepare what could be coming your way. But it’s more about what works for you on the day of the match rather than all the planning,” he said.
Being compared to Jasprit Bumrah is a compliment for Rabada, who reckons the World Cup will be an interesting one for fast bowlers. “All teams have good fast bowling units. which is also a big reason why I think this World Cup will be a very interesting one,” he said.
