Mandla Mashimbyi has warned South Africa vs Netherlands not to drift into complacency in Bristol. South Africa go into the match after beating India by 6 wickets, but the coach wants sharper energy and a more aggressive batting display than they have produced across their first 3 matches.
Mandla Mashimbyi sets the tone
"The only surprise I would be weary of is the complacency we bring as a team to this match. If we are complacent then I would be really surprised because every game is important for us now. We can not drop our energy, the intensity, we should have the right intensity to make sure that we dominate the game," Mashimbyi said ahead of the Netherlands match. He also said South Africa want to play an aggressive brand of cricket.
That demand comes with a clear edge. South Africa are heavily expected to win, while The Dutch are one of only 2 Group A sides yet to pick up a win at the competition. For Mashimbyi, that does not change the brief: keep the tempo high and avoid a flat start against a team still chasing its first result.
Tazmin Brits and Marizanne Kapp
Against India, South Africa finally put together a chase of more than 150 runs at the T20 World Cup for the first time and won by 6 wickets. Mashimbyi said he was pretty confident during that pursuit, pointing to the partnership between Tazmin Brits and Marizanne Kapp.
Brits and Kapp shared a 91-run partnership that steadied the chase. That stand also mattered because Brits had not featured in South Africa’s first two matches against Australia and Pakistan, yet she responded with a key contribution when the target rose above 150 runs.
South Africa’s batting test
Mashimbyi said South Africa are still working toward a complete performance from a batting point of view. He added that the team have not yet produced the aggressive brand of cricket they want across the past few games, even after the win over India.
He was probably more nervous against Pakistan, which puts the Netherlands match in a sharper light. If South Africa keep the same intensity from the India chase, they should back themselves again; if not, the coach has already named the risk. The response he wants is simple: dominate the game from the start, not after a scare.
