5 reasons why South Africa can win their second CT

South Africa has always started big ICC tournaments as one of the top teams but somehow hasn’t had the success they would have liked. Scenes of a teary AB De Villiers and Morne Morkel are still fresh in one’s memory when Kiwi Grant Elliot smashed the winning six off Dale Steyn in the semi-finals of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2015 at Eden Park in Auckland. South Africa would want to put it behind them and start afresh in the forthcoming ICC event.

They yet again are hailed as favourites going into the tournament. They have a lot of quality players in the squad who can win the game on their own on a given day. The Proteas have tasted success once in this tournament when they lifted the first edition way back in 1998. They will be in search of a second title which has eluded them in the last 7 editions.

AB De Villiers is back leading the team after spending considerable time away from the team because of an injury. Steyn won’t be around for he is still nursing an injury but there are enough bowlers in the squad who can step up in the star bowler’s absence.

Let us have a look at the 5 reasons why South Africa can win a second title in this year’s edition in England:

1) They have been in outstanding ODI form:

South Africa has been in imperious ODI form in the past year. They whitewashed Australia in a 5-match ODI series at home and followed it up by another whitewash of the visiting Sri Lankan side in a best of five series in January this year. De Villiers then led South Africa to a 3-2 win against New Zealand away from home earlier in the year. All in all, South Africa have won four straight series since September 2015. The team has lost just 3 ODIs in the last 17 they have played. This speaks volumes about the kind of form they are in at the moment and the star-studded unit would like to take this form into this big tournament.

2) The coming of age of Faf du Plessis

Du Plessis has had remarkable success in the ODI format for the last couple of years. Batting at No. 3, the 32-year old has made the position his own by scoring runs at a good clip consistently. His form has taken considerable pressure off AB De Villiers, who now plays freely at No. 4 or 5. Since 2014, this right-hander has scored 2908 runs in 59 innings averaging 57 which also include 8 hundreds. He will hold the key for South Africa at No. 3 and will be responsible for building the innings before exploding at the end.

3) They possess great fast bowling resources

Although Steyn is not part of South Africa’s Champions Trophy campaign, the presence of Kagiso Rabada, who is one of the best young fast bowlers going around in world cricket; Chris Morris, who had an outstanding season at the IPL last month; Morne Morkel, who can hurry the best in the business with his steep bounce and pace and Wayne Parnell, who offers a left-arm pace bowling option to add variety to the fast bowling attack. Rabada, all of just 22, will lead the South African attack in England. Having fast bowlers of such quality is always a plus when playing in England as the conditions there are conducive to swing and seam bowling.

4) Imran Tahir, the X-factor

The dry surfaces during the month of June in some parts of England call for an inclusion of a spinner and if it is of Imran Tahir’s quality, then it is a win-win situation. Tahir’s wrist spin can be very handy amidst the out and out pace attack of South Africa. The leg-spinner is currently the No. 1 ranked ODI bowler in the ICC rankings and on his day, can run through a side. The 38-year old is coming on the back of an exceptional season with the ball in the IPL where he picked wickets in almost every game. De Villiers uses Tahir prudently and doesn’t mind him going for runs as he is a wicket-taking bowler.

5) Sound batting unit

South Africa’s batting line-up consists of Hashim Amla, Quinton De Kock, Faf du Plessis, AB De Villiers, JP Duminy and David Miller. That is quite an illustrious list. The experience of Amla and De Villiers will be the driving force of this unit. Young gun De Kock can be an explosive option at the top of the order. Miller has shown what he is capable of at the back end of an innings. Duminy can smartly construct an ODI innings in the middle overs and du Plessis is ever consistent at No. 3. This batting line-up has a good blend of youth and experience and has to be the best amongst the 8 teams going into the tournament.

South Africa certainly has the right ammunition to lift their second CT title. They have been guilty of faltering during big games in the past. De Villiers must instil self-belief in the unit and put his hand up at the time of crisis.