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Cricket PlayersSA’s Albie Morkel backs Rabada despite slip-ups
The pacer’s poor final over sent the Afghanistan game into Super Overs, but the Proteas consultant is not worried
Kagiso Rabada was sending it down during the optional training session at the Ferozeshah Kotla on Tuesday. While Anrich Nortje and Kwena Mapakha went back to the dressing room, Rabada continued to send his deliveries on a relatively hot day, trying to hit the right areas, get his line and length right on the eve of South Africa’s final Group D clash against United Arab Emirates.
While the South Africa bowlers have generally bowled well this T20 World Cup with Lungi Ngidi picking up two and Marco Jansen one Player-of-the-Match awards, Rabada has been slightly off, especially in the game against Afghanistan.
With 13 needed off the final over, the seasoned Rabada (1/38 in 3.4 overs) inexplicably delivered two no balls and a wide apart from being hammered for a six during a crunch situation. The game nearly slipped out of South Africa’s hands before they managed to beat Afghanistan via the second Super Over. The drop in confidence also led to the 30-year-old dropping a catch during the Super Over. He didn’t fare well against Canada either, going for 10 per over to end with figures of 10-0-40-1.
“That game against Afghanistan still gives me nightmares. And it could have gone any way. It’s not a concern (Kagiso’s form). If you look around T20 cricket, that can happen to any bowler at any stage where the pressure just gets to you and you maybe have a (bad) day, but he’s still our premier fast bowler and we’re going to double down on him and back him all the way,” South Africa’s specialist consultant Albie Morkel said.
“That’s the only way to go. If you get too tactical or technical now with guys like that who know what they’re doing, you can confuse them. For him, it’s just accept that performance, move forward and be better next time.”
Which he did as Rabada had the best economy rate (6.75) against New Zealand, ending with figures of 4-0-27-0, helping the Proteas win by seven wickets.
Having played, and won, all three games in Ahmedabad, South Africa have shown a lot of variety in their bowling. So good was their bowling at the death that the Aiden Markram-led team conceded only 37 runs off the last six overs against the Black Caps despite taking just two wickets.
“It’s all about trying to take that length away, be a little bit unpredictable to stop them scoring those sixes. The days are gone where guys just rotate either boundary or a four here and there. So that’s mostly been the focus,” said Morkel, who played 58 ODIs and 50 T20Is for South Africa.
“It’s really (about) focusing on nailing your yorkers. I feel that’s a skill that’s sort of disappeared, not only with us but most teams in the world. If I were to ask you who’s the best death bowler in the world, you can probably name one, which will be (Jasprit) Bumrah. He’s got a very good yorker.
“So, it’s really just focusing on those skills, which I wouldn’t say bowlers forgot, but with all the variations that come into play, bowlers can get clouded by that. It’s basically focusing on those basics and then using ground dimensions.”
Having already qualified for the Super 8s, South Africa are now placed with hosts India, Zimbabwe and West Indies in Group 1. Following Wednesday’s inconsequential game against UAE, they will return to Ahmedabad to face India (February 22) and West Indies (February 26) before returning here to take on Zimbabwe (March 1) in their final Super 8 encounter.
Their first white-ball tournament since the World Test Championship win in June 2025, the Proteas are one of the favourites to lift the trophy on March 8, having missed it by a whisker after losing to India in the final two years ago in Barbados.
“The World Cup really starts now, even though we had a tough group. Now you face India, Zimbabwe and West Indies. So, it’s really tough. It’s going to be all good games. There will be more pressure on those games because you move later towards the playoffs,” said Morkel.
“But I feel we’ve got a very experienced group of bowlers and we’re batting better. Guys have been exposed, whether it’s an IPL or other leagues. International cricket is a little bit different, but the guys can handle that pressure. They actually will thrive in those circumstances where there’s a bit more pressure on the games. So we’re not too worried.”
