South Africa’s crucial World Cup losses not failures but progress, says coach Rob Walter

Dubai: South Africa have often been dubbed as “chokers” after failing to win a World Cup since their return to international cricket in the early 1990s, though they have on several occasions come very close to achieving it.

In recent times, while they fumbled in the semi-finals against eventual winners Australia in the 50-over World Cup in India last year, they again fell short from a seemingly winning position to surrender the Twenty20 World Cup title to India in the West Indies earlier this year.

Despite these setbacks, South Africa’s white-ball coach, Rob Walter, who took charge of the team before the 2023 World Cup, feels it’s unfair to categorise the efforts as failures.

“I don’t think the players are weighed down by the missed opportunities. Rather, they see it as a progression,” Walter told Gulf News.

“We have played good cricket in pressured moments in World Cups. In the 50-over World Cup semi-final, we didn’t get over the line, but we won seven of our nine pool games and had some great moments, breaking records in World Cups. So certainly we’ve tried to progress our game, and I think the results show.” added the coach on the sidelines of the three-match One-Day International series against Afghanistan in Sharjah.

He said the team’s show in the recent past has been very consistent and a world title is round the corner. “In the T20 World Cup, we won eight from nine and played a great game in the final. The players believe we’ve improved our game and handled pressure better. Now, the trophy is just the final piece of the puzzle.”

South Africa were in a dominant position in the final in Barbados, needing only 27 runs from 24 balls. However, Heinrich Klaasen’s dismissal after a stunning half-century shifted momentum back to India, who eventually secured a seven-run victory to claim their second T20 World Cup.

Jasprit Bumrah’s impact

Walter praised India’s Jasprit Bumrah for orchestrating the narrow win, crediting him for changing the course of the match. “When you lose a game by seven runs, especially when you need 30 off 30, you’re obviously going to feel inclined to look back and think we could have done this or that differently. But the way we played to get so close was amazing. We were 12 for two, then built a 50-run partnership off 30 balls, showing great intent. The partnership between Klaasen and David Miller got us to the verge of victory.

“Bumrah bowled an unbelievable over, and I can’t be too unhappy with how the guys applied themselves and the plans they had to close out the game. I don’t think we lost because we played poorly or our intent was off. Responding to conditions and playing accordingly is most important,” Walter explained.

Building bench strength

South Africa wrapped up the three-match ODI series against Afghanistan 2-1 with a consolation win in the final match at Sharjah Stadium. The series allowed the Proteas to test several players who had been waiting for opportunities, building valuable bench strength for future campaigns.

Key players such as Klaasen, Miller, Keshav Maharaj, Kagiso Rabada, Marco Jansen, and Tabraiz Shamsi were absent from the series. South Africa arrived in the UAE after losing their three-match T20 series against the West Indies 3-0. However, Walter believes giving new players international exposure is crucial for the team’s long-term success.

“There are a few fresh faces, but also quite experienced players who have played a lot of domestic cricket. They’re inexperienced internationally, but experienced domestically. These guys have worked hard to earn their opportunities this winter, and it’s a chance for us to explore the depths of South African cricket. The reality is, you don’t know when retirements are coming, and injuries can happen at any stage. We have to be really ready for that and future-proof ourselves rather than wait for it to happen. We’re being proactive in giving international experience to a wider group of players,” he concluded.