AB de Villiers cannot win this World Cup alone

Jaswinder Singh Baidwan

Akhran da mureed
Staff member
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They have bowled out oppositions five times in this World Cup, equal to New Zealand, once more than Australia and only once less than India, yet no one is talking about the threat their bowlers pose, strangely enough. The summation of all these points means that they are too dependent on one man to deliver the goods. For all his superpowers and Matrix-analogies, however, AB de Villiers cannot win this World Cup alone.

They boast two of the finest batsmen in world cricket at the moment: AB de Villiers and Hashim Amla. One of the best pace bowlers of all time, Dale Steyn, leads their attack which also includes Morne Morkel and Vernon Philander. They are one of the pre-tournament favourites, and maintain that position in the eyes of everyone, despite shock losses to India and Pakistan.

Facing a third sub-continental giant Sri Lanka in the quarter-final in Sydney, South Africa must be hoping for a different turn in their script. If their Pool B record is anything to by, they stand at an ever-so-similar juncture. The only difference is in how they got here.

More than a year ago, the powers that be decided that Jacques Kallis was no longer part of their 2015 World Cup plans. It was a huge decision, not because they were sidelining a legend of their team. But because filling his shoes needed not one but two players – someone who could bowl ten good overs after their front-line attack was done and bat in the middle order, either anchoring it or attacking the opposition. South Africa arrived here with a combination that didn’t fulfil either of these criteria.

Their first big challenge was the match against India. On a slow MCG pitch they opted for five bowlers, but Wayne Parnell was taken apart. JP Duminy and David Miller couldn’t repeat their antics from the Zimbabwe match, and the Men in Blue romped to a massive victory. The Proteas were stumped by the Indian bowling, yes. But their strategy had been to counter the strong Indian batting line-up. It failed and put them in a quandary.

Farhaan Behardien didn’t provide an optimal all-round solution, and in his absence, Rilee Rossouw, Duminy and Miller were expected to fire with the bat. Playing an extra bowler made sense then. But if there is one key-point to success in this World Cup, played with two new balls from both ends in bowler-friendly conditions, it is that the top-order has to succeed for the middle order to impress. The Proteas have lacked in this too.
 
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