Reassessing the Proteas' World Cup journey: Insights from Herschelle Gibbs

Expressing concerns about the team's mindset, Gibbs highlighted, “We got the conditions wrong in the semi-final; choosing to bat first in those conditions was the wrong option, wrong choice."

JOHANNESBURG - The Proteas encountered a tumultuous end to their ODI Cricket World Cup campaign in India, bowing out after a challenging loss to Australia in the semi-final held in Kolkata.

Despite skipper Temba Bavuma's choice to bat after winning the toss, the team stumbled early, finding themselves at 24/4 within 11.5 overs.

This setback left them playing catch-up throughout the match. Even with David Miller's resilient century and a commendable resurgence from the South African bowling unit, Australia maintained the upper hand, displaying a superior performance.

A key observation has been the Proteas' track record, notably excelling when batting first in the World Cup. Their encounters while chasing saw them falter against unexpected opponents like the Netherlands, narrowly overcome Pakistan, and struggle to assert dominance against Afghanistan in the group stage.

Putting their journey in perspective, the South Africans appeared formidable for much of the tournament, but encountered difficulties, notably against host nation India, suffering a staggering 243-run defeat during the group stages.

At the Gary and Vivienne Player Invitational - a charity event staged at Lost City golf course on 18 November, former Proteas player Herschelle Gibbs shared his insights on the team's performance.

Reflecting on the tournament, he commended the quality of ODI cricket on display, acknowledging its appeal to fans worldwide. “The tournament has been unbelievable…what we have seen over the last couple of weeks with regards to ODIs has been as good as any other World Cup. I think it's been stronger than ever the value it's brought to the spectators of the game has been phenomenal."

Expressing concerns about the team's mindset, Gibbs highlighted, “We got the conditions wrong in the semi-final; choosing to bat first in those conditions was the wrong option, wrong choice.

“The group stage game against India made me question the mindset, I thought they were negative. ”

For the Proteas to scale greater heights, Gibbs stressed the urgency of breaking free from predictability. “That predictability has got to be put to an end and needs to be put to an end quickly. Unless we change our mindset with regards to our predictability nothing is going to change.”

He underscored the necessity for tough decisions, drawing parallels with successful adaptability seen in other sports, particularly the Springboks, urging a similar shift in cricket. “We have the skill set and we got the depth but it's making those tough decisions, whether the players like it or not. We saw it in the rugby and we've gotta try implement that in our cricket, maybe we will see a different result”

Gibbs conveyed optimism about the team's potential, asserting that with the right mindset shifts and willingness to make tough choices, the Proteas possess the talent and depth necessary to attain improved outcomes in future tournaments.

This article first appeared on EWN : Reassessing the Proteas' World Cup journey: Insights from Herschelle Gibbs

More from Sport