South Africa’s De Kock says handling pressure key in India clash

AHMEDABAD: Who “deals with the pressure better” will decide the India-South Africa Super Eights match, a repeat of the T20 World Cup final two years ago, said Quinton de Kock on Saturday.

The two unbeaten teams are familiar foes and both came through their T20 World Cup groups with perfect four-out-of-four records ahead of the clash in Ahmedabad on Sunday.

Aiden Markram’s South Africa toured India late last year, losing 3-1 in a T20 series.

“I think that’s what’s going to make for quite a good game tomorrow, because we’ve played against each other quite a bit over the last two months,” said South Africa opener De Kock.

“And to be honest, the teams haven’t really changed much.

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“So, I think it’s more when you’re out there on the pressure side, who deals with the pressure better and wins the small moments in the game.”

While South Africa looked strong in all departments in the group phase, the batting of the defending champions India has been inconsistent.

Opener Abhishek Sharma has recorded three consecutive ducks, but De Kock did not read too much into it.

“He’s the number one T20 batsman in the world at the moment, according to the rankings, so he must keep doing what he’s doing,” said de Kock of the 25-year-old Abhishek.

“He’s obviously quite young, he’s bound to fail. So I’m sure at some point he’s going to play an important knock.”

South Africa are being billed as strong contenders to meet India in the final in Ahmedabad on March 8.

De Kock said there were no favourites in the T20 format.

“I think the nature of World Cups, that it doesn’t allow favouritism.

“At any moment, someone can win in a game out of nowhere. So that’s the thing, it’s quite a fickle game, World Cups, especially T20 World Cups.

“Games can be changed in a matter of two to three overs just by one individual.”