South Africa’s run at the ICC T20 World Cup ended in spite of winning four games out of five because of a lower net run rate as compared to Australia.
South Africa had come in this tournament without any expectations led by the Proteas’ first black African cricket captain Temba Bavuma and a bunch of youngsters who had fire in them to prove that they are a team to reckon with.
Last game
They started the Super 12 losing to Australia in Abu Dhabi but then bounced back wonderfully beating Sri Lanka, West Indies, Bangladesh and then England in their last game.
They looked good to make it to the semifinals but were pipped by Australia who beat Bangladesh and West Indies in their last games to up their net run rate.
South Africa has always been on the wrong side of luck having suffered heartbreaking losses in 1992, 1999 and 2003 World Cup (50 overs) and in the inaugural T20 World Cup in 2007, they were all but through to the knock out but faltered against India and failed to make it to the semis.
ICC final
In the 2014 T20 World Cup, they were beaten by a Virat Kohli special knock in Bangladesh in the semifinals and missed the chance to make it to an ICC final.
This year, they had no burden of expectations and played fearless cricket and their fans will be proud of them as this is a team for the future which they build with no superstars and will be a team to beat come the next World Cup.
