Kagiso Rabada Anticipates Enhanced Scoring as South Africa’s T20 Campaign Shifts to the West Indies

As South Africa’s ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 campaign transitions from the USA to the West Indies, fast bowler Kagiso Rabada foresees improved scoring rates for his team. The Proteas are set to face Nepal in St Vincent on June 14 before entering Group 2 in the tournament’s Second Round, alongside the West Indies and two other teams.

Having played their initial group stage matches at the Nassau County International Cricket Stadium in New York, South Africa now moves to more traditional cricket venues in the West Indies for the upcoming fixtures. The change in venue is expected to bring about a significant shift in playing conditions, potentially leading to higher scoring games.

Rabada highlighted the unpredictability of the drop-in pitches in the USA, which led to low-scoring encounters. South Africa managed to secure victories despite modest totals of 80/4, 106/6, and 113/6 in their first three matches. However, Rabada believes the more established pitches in the West Indies will offer better batting conditions.

“I do expect that conditions are going to level up,” Rabada said before the match against Nepal. “Because you had the drop-in pitches in the USA, you never really know how they’re going to play.”

He emphasized that with more consistent pitches, such as those found in the West Indies, teams are likely to achieve higher and more competitive scores. Rabada cited the recent match between Australia and England, where Australia scored 200 against England’s 150, as an example of what could be expected.

Despite this optimism, Rabada remains cautious about setting high expectations for South Africa’s batting performance, given their struggles so far in the tournament. He stressed the importance of adapting to the conditions and finding a balance that favors both batsmen and bowlers.

“If you do bat well in these conditions, you can still reach 200,” Rabada noted. “But you want to get a game and find pitches where you have enough in it for the bowlers and enough in it for the batters, because that’s essentially what a cricket game is.”

Rabada pointed out that it would be unfair to judge South Africa’s batting form based solely on their performances in the USA, acknowledging the challenging conditions they faced there. He maintained that “common sense” would guide their strategy as they adapt to the new playing environments in the West Indies.

“Everyone’s moving forward. We play the conditions as we see them. And on our day, we know the sky’s the limit in terms of batting.”

As South Africa prepares to enter the next phase of the T20 World Cup, Rabada’s insights suggest a more dynamic and competitive stage, with the potential for higher scores and thrilling contests.