South Africa have caused such disappointment for their fans in previous World Cups that there is a sense of relief back home that they arrive in the subcontinent as dangerous outsiders rather than favourites.
Heartbreaking semifinal exits in 1992, 1999 and 2007, as well as a shock quarterfinal loss to the West Indies in 1996, when the World Cup was last held on the subcontinent, have meant expectations are not very high this time.
South Africa’s World Cup “curse” even managed to affect them at home, when they failed to make it out of the first round of the 2003 event they hosted.
“The pressure of being one of the favourites has eased a bit. Being under the radar helps but we are going there to win and we know we’ll have to play good cricket to do it,” coach Corrie van Zyl told Reuters.
“Not being one of the favourites can work in our favour. There are a few new guys that no one has played against, so maybe we can pull off a few surprises,” leading all-rounder Jacques Kallis added.
The South African selectors have chosen a new-look squad that includes just four players who have previously appeared in a World Cup — captain Graeme Smith, all-rounder Kallis, wicketkeeper/batsman AB de Villiers and left-arm spinner Robin Peterson — but whether they will be able to stand up to the pressures of knockout cricket remains to be seen.
Strategic approach
South Africa have been accused of relying on a single strategic approach at previous World Cups, allowing the opposition easily to counter their predictable tactics.
Van Zyl defended their approach, however.
“A lot of people say we are predictable but the sides that won previous World Cups played very similar sides all the way through, so I don’t understand why being predictable is bad.
“We have a lot of options among the 15-man squad and some really good ones in those conditions. We might surprise a few teams,” he said.
Their current squad allows them to bring more spin-bowling options to the table in conditions that are expected to be helpful to the slower bowlers.
Off-spinner Johan Botha is their first-choice spinner, backed by Peterson and the uncapped, Pakistan-born leggie Imran Tahir.
Batsmen JP Duminy and Faf du Plessis are also useful part-timers.
Who can be sent into battle to bowl in the closing overs remains a crucial question for skipper Smith, given that there is no specialist “death bowler” in the squad.
This, and the lack of lower-order power-hitters, was exposed during their recent series against India in South Africa.
The Proteas trailed 2-1 going into the last two matches, but utilised pace-friendly conditions at home to sneak past an Indian team who were missing Sachin Tendulkar, Virender Sehwag, Gautam Gambhir and Praveen Kumar, 3-2.
South Africa certainly have the quality to scare the opposition, however.
They will boast one of the strongest top fives in Smith, Hashim Amla, Kallis, De Villiers and Duminy, while Dale Steyn and Morne Morkel will be a fearsome new-ball pairing.
Left-armer Lonwabo Tsotsobe has also developed into an admirable foil for the two fast bowlers.
An injury to one of those frontline pacemen could prove catastrophic as Wayne Parnell is out of form and Rusty Theron and all-rounders Albie Morkel and Ryan McLaren have been left at home.
The selectors have also embarked on a daring plan to have De Villiers keep wicket instead of veteran Mark Boucher, believing that a specialist batsman or bowler at seven would be more valuable.
If they have erred, then wicketkeeper/batsman Morne van Wyk offers them a way out.
Whether the battle-scarred veterans or the inexperienced new boys can prosper in tight, crunch World Cup matches will be the deciding factor if South Africa are to cast off their previous miseries in the tournament. – AFP