South Africa launched their T20 World Cup campaign in emphatic fashion, thumping Canada by 57 runs in their Group D clash at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, India, on Monday.

Sent in to bat, the Proteas were clinical from the outset. Quinton de Kock and Aiden Markram surged to 66 without loss inside the powerplay, laying a solid platform before Markram went on to strike a composed half-century.

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South Africa posted an imposing 213/4, with late contributions from David Miller and Tristan Stubbs accelerating the total.

Canada briefly checked the momentum through Ansh Patel’s three-wicket spell, but the damage had already been done.

Canada’s response never took off. Lungi Ngidi ripped through the top order with a devastating new-ball spell, claiming four wickets to effectively end the contest and earn Player of the Match honours.

Navneet Dhaliwal offered some resistance with a resilient knock, but Canada were restricted to 156/8.

The Proteas now turn their attention to their next Group D fixture against Afghanistan on Wednesday at the same venue, looking to maintain momentum and strengthen their push for a Super Eight berth.

INSIDE POLITICS

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Amid dark times for the country’s storied but ailing soccer team, some salvation comes in the form of the Azzurri’s unheralded cricketers after their first-ever qualification for a global tournament.

Add Italy to cricketing superpowers like India, Australia, England and South Africa competing at the T20 World Cup starting Saturday.

“Just to be there and playing,” Luca Bruno Malaspina, CEO of the Italian Cricket Federation, said “is the end of 45 years of hard work.”

That’s a reference to the formation of the sport’s national federation in 1980, but cricket in Italy dates back much further than that — to the late 19th century when it was played by expatriated British textile workers.

Genoa, Italy’s oldest soccer club founded in 1893, was — and still is — called Genoa Cricket and Football Club. The original name of AC Milan, the seven-time European champion, when it was founded in 1899 by an Englishman, Herbert Kilpin, was Milan Football & Cricket Club.

More than a century later, there might not be any grass cricket pitches in Italy but there are around 4,000 registered men’s players, around 80 clubs in a two-tier league system, and a burgeoning national team filled with players who have Italian heritage or who are first- or second-generation immigrants from Asia.

Take for example captain Wayne Madsen, a South African who qualifies because of his Italian grandmother.

Or bowler Crishan Kalugamage, a Sri Lankan who moved to Italy when he was 15.

Or wicketkeeper Marcus Campopiano, who was born in England and has an Italian father.

The 15-man World Cup squad contains two sets of Australian brothers with Italian family connections: Harry and Benjamin Manenti, and Anthony and Justin Mosca.

“The quality and the numbers are going up,” said Bruno Malaspina, who also praised the largely overseas-born coaching and backroom staff for changing mindsets and raising expectations. The head coach is former Canada cricketer John Davison, who was raised in Australia and played first-class cricket there before becoming a star for Canada’s national team. Former Ireland batter Kevin O’Brien is an assistant coach.

Italy qualified for the expanded 20-team World Cup via European regional qualifying, finishing second to the Netherlands, and last week beat Ireland for its first ever win over a full member of the International Cricket Council, the sport’s world governing body.

Capitalizing on soccer turmoil
Contrast the national team’s progress in cricket to the regression of its soccer team.

A four-time World Cup winner, Italy missed out on qualification for soccer’s biggest tournament in both 2018 and 2022 after losing unexpectedly in the playoffs. The Italians are back in the playoffs again in their bid to reach the upcoming World Cup held in the United States, Canada and Mexico.

Bruno Malaspina believes it’s a chance for cricket to “capitalize” on Italy’s shortcomings in soccer.

The World Cup “is a good way to open up cricket to Italians,” he said in a video call. “We are not talking only about money … but visibility in the Italian sport organization because they are learning now that cricket is an important sport. There are big numbers all around the world.”

Better infrastructure and professionalism
Italy was recognized by the ICC as an Associate member in 1995 and then by the Italian National Olympic Committee, which was a significant step because it enables cricket to receive government funding.

Getting into a World Cup marks the end of a long journey for Italian cricket but the start of another.

The lack of cricket infrastructure in the country is a major obstacle for progress — Italy currently “hosts” its international games in other European nations, such as the Netherlands and England — and he said the federation is working hard to improve the “very, very poor” cricket grounds and fund at least one turf pitch that can be the spiritual home of Italian cricket. The domestic game needs to be more professional and structured better, Bruno Malaspina added.

“The problem is money and the bureaucratic things you have to do in Italy,” he said.

The federation, according to Bruno Malaspina, is in talks with the proposed European T20 Premier League to have an Italian franchise, potentially in 2027.

It also wants to inspire the next generation by entering Italian schools, teaching children the rules and culture of cricket, getting them into local clubs.

Playing England at the World Cup
In the short term, though, Italian cricket is simply ready to enjoy its landmark moment. The team is in Group C at the World Cup staged jointly by India and Sri Lanka, and will meet Scotland, Nepal, England and the West Indies.

It’s the match Italy is least likely to win — against England — that stands out.

“For the players and people involved with cricket, it’s the top of our story: Playing against England. I’m not talking about the result. It’s not about result, the gap is too much,” Bruno Malaspina said.

“But England is … what can I say? England is cricket.”

AP

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South Africa’s leading paceman Kagiso Rabada says it is time to move on from the euphoria of beating Australia in the World Test Championship final while admitting a belated major trophy success has come as a relief to his team.

Rabada will lead South Africa’s attack as they take on Australia in three Twenty20 clashes and three one-day Internationals starting in Darwin on Sunday.

“I think it was special, and I’ve done so many interviews on that since,” Rabada said of South Africa’s victory over Australia at Lord’s in June.

“I think it’s time to move on. I don’t think we’ll forget about that ever as a team, and South Africa won’t ever (forget), but time to move on now.” he told a press conference on Thursday.

The five-wicket win in the WTC final followed several frustrating near misses for South Africa in limited-overs World Cups.

“It was kind of like a relief. But the show moves on, and moving toward the T20 World Cup, I guess the approach will be a bit different. Now, you know, there’s no fear of anything.”

Rabada is relishing a reprisal of the rivalry between Australia and South Africa.

“It’s always some hard cricket being played, some good cricket,” he said. “Whenever we play Australia, I always feel like they get the best out of us, because they’re sort of in our faces. And I guess we like that.”

Rababa, who turned 30 in May, has not played since the WTC final in London.

“Thankfully, I’ve had quite a long break, so that’s been awesome. Maintenance work consistently has to be done because the volume of cricket is quite a bit.”

The Australia tour comes ahead of next year’s T20 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka, and the 2027 World Cup in Southern Africa, and South Africa hope the experience will benefit the young players in their squad.

“For me that’s extremely exciting to see them raring to go. It’s just about trying to see where we’re at as a team, moving into almost like another generation,” Rabada added.

Reuters

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A 13-year-old cricketer from India’s northern state of Bihar could become the sport’s latest Twenty20 batting sensation.

The Rajasthan Royals think so highly of Vaibhav Suryavanshi that they paid $130,000 in the Indian Premier League’s mega auction for his services, making him the youngest ever to be selected.

Suryavanshi came to the limelight last month when he scored a century against Australia’s under-19 team off just 58 balls before he got out for 104.

At the age of 13 years and 187 days, Suryavanshi broke the record of Bangladesh’s present test captain Najmul Hossain Shanto, who at the age of 14 years and 241 days held the previous record of scoring a century at youth level.

The Delhi Capitals also showed interest when the bid for Suryavanshi started at his base price of $35,500.

“He’s been to our high performance center in Nagpur, he had trials there and really impressed our coaching set-up there,” Rajasthan CEO Jake Lush McCrum said after the auction ended Monday. “He’s an incredible talent and of course you’ve got to have the confidence so he can step up to the IPL level.”

McCrum described Suryavanshi as a “hell of a talent” and hoped lots of work will go into the coming months before the IPL begins on March 14 with former Indian captain Rahul Dravid among the coaching panel of the franchise.

Suryavanshi idolizes legendary West Indian batter Brian Lara and often gets tips from former India batter Wasim Jaffer, with whom he met during an under-19 tournament in Bangladesh last year.

Suryavanshi’s father, Sanjiv, is his coach and has worked with him since his son showed interest in the game at an early age.

“He is not just my son now, but entire Bihar’s son,” the elder Suryavanshi told Press Trust of India. “My son has worked hard.”

The IPL does not have a formal minimum age requirement, but in 2020 the International Cricket Council set the minimum age of 15 for players to compete internationally.

However, the game’s governing body also said at that time that cricket boards can request permission to allow players under 15 to represent their country.

Prayas Ray Barman held the previous record of youngest player to win an IPL contract. He was 16 in 2019 when the Royal Challengers Bengaluru spent about $200,000 for him. But the wrist spinner faded away after playing just one match.

Pakistani batter Hasan Raza holds the record of youngest cricketer to make his test debut — the five-day cricket format — at the age of 14 years and 227 days in 1996.

AP

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