Former Proteas batting coach JP Duminy has praised South Africa’s batsmen for their aggressive approach against Pakistan’s spinners in the first T20I in Rawalpindi.
The Proteas claimed a 55-run win in the opener, and Duminy believes the conditions in Lahore on Friday will favour a similar positive mindset.
“There’s probably going to be a good batting surface here,” Duminy told SportsBoom.co.za. “In the first T20I, there was quite a bit of spin, but what impressed me was the aggressive nature of our batters. Particularly in the first two balls of every over, they looked for boundaries. Whenever there was an opportunity to pounce, they took it.”
Duminy said the Proteas’ willingness to take on the spinners was a hallmark of their success.
“They were playing the cross-bat shots, sweeping, reverse sweeping, using their feet – not just sitting back and waiting for the bad ball,” he explained. “They were taking the positive option, looking for boundaries. That’s a recipe for success in T20 cricket, particularly against spin.”
He added that he expects the same intent in the remaining matches of the series.
“That positive mentality and attitude towards their options against spin – I suspect that’s going to be the case again in Lahore.”
Corbin Bosch starred with the ball in the first match, taking a career-best 4-14, while Lungi Ngidi, Lizaad Williams, Nandre Burger and George Linde all contributed to a disciplined bowling effort.
“What the Proteas did well was use the wicket as the variation,” said Duminy. “They realised there was variable bounce, so they just kept hitting that top-of-off length. Bosch, Ngidi, and Williams all did that superbly.”
At the top of the order, Reeza Hendricks (60) and Quinton de Kock (23) provided early impetus, and Duminy said both were making the most of their opportunities with Ryan Rickelton and Aiden Markram rested.
“Reeza had a really good game, and Quinny showed great glimpses of what he’s capable of. They just backed their ability to execute their skills,” he said. “They took the aerial route in the powerplay, freed their arms, and committed fully to their options – that’s the formula for success on good batting wickets.”
Photo: Muhammad Sameer Ali/Getty Images
