T20 WC final: Morne Morkel gives advice to South Africa against This Indian player

As the South African cricket team prepares to face India in the final of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024, former Proteas star pacer Morne Morkel has shared his valuable advice to help the team secure their maiden World Cup title.

The highly anticipated final is scheduled to take place at Kensington Oval, Barbados, on June 29. The Proteas Men previously lost seven semi-finals, including a heartbreaking defeat against Australia in the 1999 World Cup.

Morne Morkel advised the South African team to “play at the moment” and not get too caught up in trying to post a respectable score.

“Yes, they know that Jasprit [Bumrah] can take wickets upfront. He is going to be crucial at death when he bowls two overs. So do they start pushing in a bit earlier in that batting innings to try and get to a respectable score?” Morkel questioned.

Read More: What are rain rules in case India vs South Africa final washed out?

The former pacer further advised the team to remain calm and composed, especially when facing Indian spinner Kuldeep Yadav, who is known for his ability to take wickets and create pressure.

“Honestly, I think we cannot overthink that. Kuldeep is obviously unbelievable in the middle for India, he is a wicket-taker. He can stop the game, create a lot of pressure. South Africa needs to take the nerves and those moments out of the equation and focus ball by ball,” Morkel said.

Rain likely to affect final

The match is expected to be affected by rain, which could lead to a reserve day being used. In this scenario, it is essential to understand the International Cricket Council’s (ICC) guidelines for rain-affected matches.

Added time and reserve day

According to the ICC guidelines, the added time for the final is set to remain the same as the semi-final, which means that a full game can happen even after a 4-hour 10-minute delay from the start time. The ICC rules state that the aim for the organizers will be to finish the game on Saturday itself, even if it is not a full 20-over game.

Minimum overs requirement

A result can only be achieved if both teams play a minimum of 10 overs each. If the rain does not allow play to happen at all, then the match will be shifted to Sunday, 30 June. The ICC guidelines state that each team must have had the opportunity to bat for a minimum of 10 overs for a result to be achieved.