3 things to look forward to in WI vs SA T20Is ft. South Africa's new-look bowling attack
South Africa are set to begin their journey towards the 2026 T20 World Cup, and it is fittingly from the same place where their dreams peaked. The last time the Proteas played at the Brian Lara Stadium in Trinidad, they made a mockery of a semi-final, cruising into the final by bowling out Afghanistan for just 56 runs.
Although they did not end up winning the tournament, the Aiden Markram-led side defied the odds with an unbeaten run, which included ending the semi-final jinx. The young South African side have a lot of promise and potential, and the side have infused more new names in a bid to test their bench strength, which is naturally the next course of action.
As far as the West Indies are concerned, they will also look to continue their path of progress after their 2024 T20 World Cup campaign, which could have been so much more. However, with the Men in Maroon and its players being one of the most active teams after the World Cup, they have also made a few changes to their squad.
The three-match affair is scheduled to begin from August 24 onwards, and on that note, let us take a look at three things to look forward to in WI vs SA T20Is.
#1 Proteas new-look bowling attack
Despite the absence of Anrich Nortje, Kagiso Rabada, Keshav Maharaj, Marco Jansen, and Tabraiz Shamsi, the five bowlers who forge the Proteas playing XI on most occasions, the visitors boast a strong bowling attack.
Ottneil Baatrman has impressed time and time again with his consistent displays in the domestic circuit and the SA20, eventually seizing the third seamer's spot, as witnessed in the T20 World Cup. The left-arm duo of Nandre Burger and Kwena Maphaka are the ones for the future, and could be in the early conversation for the World Cup squad if they manage to make the most of their opportunity.
Bjorn Fortuin has also been a consistent performer in the recent past, and played all three matches the last time South Africa toured the Caribbean. He is quite capable of bowling with the new ball, and is known for keeping things tight.
#2 The Trinidad pitch
The Trinidad pitch came into the spotlight, that too in a bad way, when it received an 'unsatisfactory' rating by the ICC for producing an atrocious pitch for the World Cup semi-final. The venue has historically produced low-scoring matches, but the curators will have to at least produce tracks that are sporting in nature.
Usually, the series between South Africa and West Indies are defined by the big hitters. The proteas had the likes of Heinrich Klaasen and David Miller, while the Men in Maroon boasted names like Shimron Hetmyer, Johnson Charles, and Nicholas Pooran among others.
However, in these conditions, much like their most recent encounter in the World Cup, it will be the anchors and the spinners who set the agenda. Luckily both sides have enough arsenal to succeed in these conditions to produce a thrilling series.
#3 Time to shine for Ryan Rickelton and Shai Hope at the top of the order
With South Africa and West Indies playing without Quinton de Kock and Brandon King respectively, they will be playing with a new opening combination.
Ryan Rickelton, one of the many consistent performers in the recent past, missed out on making an appearance in the T20 World Cup. However, after being the leading run-scorer in the SA20 2024, a consistent run at the top in national colors was not far away.
Similarly, in the West Indies setup, Shai Hope could return to the top of the order. The classy right-handed batter has been tried out in the middle-order by country and franchise alike, and with another lifeline at the top of the order, he could make a case for himself in the long run around the power hitters, especially in sluggish conditions.