The Proteas entered Wednesday’s semi-final as clear favourites. However, South African fans feared another painful knockout defeat.
Sadly, the word “choke” continues to follow the Proteas in World Cup playoffs. Many supporters worry about the team’s struggles under pressure.
On Wednesday, the batting collapsed at the worst moment. Several leading batsmen lost their wickets with reckless shots. They failed to settle on a pitch unfamiliar to them.
South Africa arrived with a seven-match unbeaten streak. However, New Zealand dominated the match from the start. Finn Allen smashed a record-breaking century for the Black Caps. Consequently, New Zealand secured a nine-wicket victory at Eden Gardens.
Conrad Responds to ‘Choke’ Talk
Before the semi-final, coach Shukri Conrad believed his leadership could change history. However, the result told a different story. After the match, Conrad addressed reporters with honesty and humour.
“I don’t know if tonight was a choke, I thought it was a bloody walloping,” Conrad told reporters with a wry chuckle. “We didn’t have a sniff. In South Africa, we say we got moered. Tonight, we got a proper snotklap, also a South African word meaning a real hiding.
“I don’t think many people gave us much of a chance of even getting into a semi-final when we left the shores… but that’s no consolation. I think it’s cue the abuse now and there’ll be enough of it.”
“There’ll be enough people that are going to be jumping on the bandwagon, but we did so many special things. I’m so proud of these guys.”
Searching for Positives After the Defeat
Despite the loss, Conrad still sees positives from the tournament. He believes critics may ignore the team’s strong performances.
Captain Aiden Markram scored 286 runs during the tournament. Meanwhile, Lungi Ngidi finished with 12 wickets. Corbin Bosch and Marco Jansen each claimed 11 wickets.
These performances placed them among the tournament’s top bowlers.
“We chose a really crappy time to have a bad night,” said Conrad. “There’s obviously a lot to be said about playing all those games [in Ahmedabad] and not having played anything in some of the other states. But again, that’s no excuse.”
Flipcash is Your Trusted PayPal & Crypto Exchange Partner in Zimbabwe — WhatsApp +263 77 163 9263
The post ‘We got a snotklap’: Proteas coach reacts to New Zealand defeat appeared first on iHarare News.
