Powerful home team win T20 series 3-1

Shukri Conrad thinks a South Africa vs India World Cup final back in Ahmedabad in March next year may be on the cards, after the host nation claimed a 3-1 series victory on Friday night.

The Proteas fell short by 30 runs in pursuit of 232 against the current T20 World Cup holders, leaving them with a horrible record in 2025 — just six wins from 18 T20 Internationals.

Nevertheless, Conrad remains optimistic about South Africa’s chances at the World Cup, which begins in February. “We didn’t get the results we wanted in this series, but I’d like to think these will be the two teams playing in the World Cup final — I certainly hope so,” he said.

Conrad, who took over coaching the limited overs teams in May, after Rob Walter quit to go and coach New Zealand, said South Africa’s poor record had a lot to do with mixing and matching combinations, along with implementing workload management protocols, not only for those players involved in all three formats, but for the likes of Anrich Nortje and David Miller who were coming back into the side after long-term injuries.

“David Miller hasn’t played cricket for a long time, Anrich Nortje also. Playing international cricket with the intensity it is meant to be played is really tough — we’ve ticked those boxes. There is still work to do. The good thing is the boys have a month of SA20, which will be really good prep for honing their skills to ensure that when the West Indies arrive (at the end of January) we are ready for that and then the World Cup — which is the big thing,” said Conrad.

As South Africa have done in the past three years, bilateral limited-overs series have been used to widen the net and bring in new players, with greater focus put on World Cups.

“Our (bilateral) record doesn’t look special — I haven’t been counting — but where there are World Cups involved, the team gets judged on World Cups.”

Quinton de Kock’s return has been the major highlight with the bat for the Proteas. He scored 156 runs, which included two half-centuries, and was the second highest run-scorer in the India series.

De Kock has probably secured his spot for the World Cup and with Aiden Markram as captain, Conrad said South Africa were looking for another top-order batter. Reeza Hendricks made just 21 runs in three innings, but De Kock seems to enjoy batting with him, while Tristan Stubbs, after missing the ODIs, played just two matches in the T20 series scoring a total of 23 runs.

Once Miller gets more match time, a middle order featuring him, Dewald Brevis and Donovan Ferreira looks potent.

It is in getting the balance of the starting team right that Conrad faces a few challenges.

He liked the batting depth of the eleven chosen for Friday’s clash, which saw Corbin Bosch slotted in at No.9. “We had a really long batting line-up, so you fancy chasing whatever,” said Conrad.

The problem with that is wicket-taking options are somewhat limited particularly with the spinner — which will be crucial at a World Cup in the sub-continent. George Linde, certainly has the tools, as a spinner and lower order hitter, but besides his man of the match effort against Pakistan last year, has too rarely shown off his all-round prowess at the highest level.

Keshav Maharaj remains the better wicket-taker, but doesn’t offer as much — potentially — with the bat as Linde.

The Proteas, said Conrad, also missed Kagiso Rabada, who sat out the series while still rehabbing after picking up a rib injury before the first Test.

Nevertheless, even with Rabada in the side earlier this year, the Proteas conceded 304 against England, highlighting concerns about the bowling overall.

Friday was the end of a lengthy and busy tour to India that started on November 14 and, overall, Conrad said he was pleased with how the series unfolded. “It’s been a wonderful tour.”

“We started brilliantly in the Test series, took the ODIs to a decider and had an opportunity tonight to level the T20 series. I’m really happy with the outcome. Obviously you want to win every series you play, but in this format they are world champions for a reason and we have to make sure we come back in a few months time and topple them.”