South African speedster Kagiso Rabada reflected on his underwhelming performance in the recent ICC T20 World Cup 2022 in Australia, as the Proteas side crashed out of the tournament with a shocking defeat against the Netherlands in their final Group B match.
The 27-year-old was the most expensive bowler for South Africa in the T20 World Cup 2022, as he could scalp only 2 wickets at an average of 75.50 and an economy rate of 9.44 in 5 matches.
Rabada, said that he doesn't want to make any excuses for his poor performance in the T20 World Cup 2022, while revealing that he lacked energy throughout the tournament in Australia.
The star speedster blamed exhaustion for his performance and claimed the harder he tried, the more he struggled with the ball in the 2022 T20 World Cup. But now he is excited to back in action in the upcoming three-match Test series in Australia, starting on December 17, 2022.
Kagiso Rabada said ahead of South Africa's departure for Australia: “I am not one to make any excuses - I wasn't up to scratch, I had a disappointing tournament. I didn't feel that great in terms of energy. I still tried my best but I felt like the harder I tried; it just wasn't coming out.”
The speedster skipped the recent domestic first-class games after his disappointing performance in the mega event because he "felt like I needed to rest". He said, “It is a concern with the amount of cricket that's being played. It needs to be managed. There need to be planning to be made accordingly.”
Rabada added, “If it's happened twice [after the group-stage exit in 2021 too], it's something that seriously needs to be considered. That's what I have realized, and [the] management have realized as well. We need to come up with some plans - not just for me, but for all players.”
While the Australian pitches are known for their speed and bounce, Rabada is not sure what they will be served after the hosts declared on 598/4 against the West Indies in the first Test in Perth.
Rabada signed off by saying, “In Australia, you get some bounce. They are good wickets, but you generally get a bit of nip. It can swing at times, but not too much. The bounce and the pace is your ally. But at the same time, they are good wickets to bat on because the bounce is so true. I am excited to play some cricket, and to test myself.”
(With ANI Inputs)
