Fast bowler Lungi Ngidi has urged South Africa’s new generation of players to concentrate on playing their natural game at the upcoming T20 World Cup.
The Proteas head into the tournament as one of the more fancied teams despite never previously progressing past the semi-finals.
They reached the last four in 2009 and 2014, but their talented squad was often accused of underperforming at major tournaments.
Luck was against them at the 2021 T20 World Cup as they exited the competition after losing just one of their five group games.
They finished level on points with England and Australia, but were eliminated from the tournament on net run rate.
While the pressure is on the current crop of players to deliver, Ngidi believes it is important to block out what people are saying about their performances.
“A lot of things get said about us before tournaments, and we carry this tag around, and that can affect the way we play,” he said.
“But the minute we can shut that out, we are in a really good spot, because we’re playing good enough cricket. Don’t let external influences cloud the mind.
“I’m confident we won’t, because none of this team have much experience of falling short in tournaments.
“In fact, last year we won four out of five games, which is hardly failure. Luck does play a big part, too. A bit of luck could help us along the way.”
Ngidi’s confidence in South Africa’s prospects at the tournament is rooted in the team’s impressive recent performances.
They drew 2-2 with India in a five-match series earlier this year, before defeating England and Ireland during the summer.
One of their most exciting rising stars is Tristan Stubbs, who announced his arrival on the big stage in stunning fashion against England.
He dominated England’s excellent bowling attack, clubbing eight sixes on his way to a superb 72 runs in just 28 balls.
One huge six off Richard Gleeson was particularly memorable, as he bashed the ball straight back over the fast bowler’s head.
The 22-year-old’s performance demonstrated that he can handle big pressure moments and showed he could be a force to be reckoned with at the World Cup.
His knock against England made him the youngest South African to hit a T20 half-century at international level, further highlighting his potential.
He seems certain to be highlight sought after for competitions such as the Indian Premier League, and Ngidi has backed his teammate to shine at the T20 World Cup in Australia.
“The youngsters don’t come in with any preconceived ideas of how it’s supposed to be – they just play their natural game,” he added.
“We’ve all seen Tristan, for example, come out and play his natural game. And that’s exactly what we need.
“So, it is very exciting for the future, to be honest. It feels unnatural, but I guess I’m an experienced player now!”