“Vuma! Vuma! Vuma!” For most people, it does not make sense to chant Temba Bavuma’s name or some form of it. Yet, the stands at Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore, are not filled by just any crowd.
These range from people who have not attended ICC events from the 1996 World Cup final all the way to this edition of the Champions Trophy. In reality, no international cricket was seen from March 2009 to May 2015 due to a terrorist attack on a Sri Lankan bus during a visiting team’s third day of a Test match. A dozen gunmen shot and killed seven while injuring six. For more Details, Click Here
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During the Champions Trophy, Lahore missed out on seeing Pakistan play. They did, however, play their first match against New Zealand in Karachi, followed by a second match against Bangladesh in Rawalpindi that got completely washed out.
Envision the spectacular backdrop of the group stage duel, sparsely populated in Lahore. The Indian and Pakistan clash went down in the barren wastelands of Dubai. The final showdown was also intended to take place in Lahore, but because India is involved, it moves to Dubai. Pakistan plays host to the fiercest rivalry in cricket, but the governing bodies have chosen the inhospitable grounds of Dubai for this match to be played under the spectral shadow of Indian dominance.
The politcal and security restrictions imposed on BCCI do not allow them to set foot in Pakistan for their matches. The financial loss on account of India’s refusal to attend the matches is huge for the ICC, who are under no condition able to reason with the BCCI’s demands.
So on Wednesday, the spectators in Lahore knew they were done for the tournament. Like for the other matches they attended in the stadium – England versus Australia, Afghanistan versus England, and even the rain reduced nightmare that was Afghanistan versus Australia – the fans showed up with flags of both nations, donned t shirts supporting various countries save for India, and cheered their hearts out around their favorite players who chose to represent them.
Yet, Wednesday was when something caught the attention of South Africans. Something wilder that was broadcasted all the way back home: “Vuma! Vuma! Vuma!” That was what Bavuma was roaring after launching Kyle Jamieson over backward square leg for his first six. After that, he pulverized Jamieson’s next delivery into the ground and it transformed into the covers’ version of a sure hit, before Glenn Phillips performed a classic Glenn Phillips move: he swooped, slided, and smothered.
That was in the midst of a 105 run-a-ball partnership with Rassie van der Dussen. The South Africans earned powerplay equilibrium because both teams had one each at the half-way mark. They remained in the game in until Bavuma slashed the ball that had turned the most during that point of the match, from Mitchell Santner, to backward point in the 23rd.
Subsequently, Santner bowled Van der Dussen who was also expertly turned and had a swinging Heinrich Klaasen caught at long on by falling Matt Henry. The poor guy instantly exited the field and rested his shoulder, but came back and bowled. Then slowly but surely, Rachin Ravindra accepted a return catch from Aiden Markram. In the span of 38 balls, those three dismissals disappeared for a mere 28 runs.
Ravindra, Williamson tons set up final date with India
By the end of twenty overs, South Africa was behind New Zealand by four runs, with each team losing one wicket. At the conclusion of twenty five overs, the runs were level but the South Africans had lost one more wicket. South Africa was behind by seven runs and had lost three wickets at thirty.
Pom and his players, as Ernest Hemingway put it, inched away from the brink before falling headlong over. They dwindled to 200/6 after 36 but reached 312/9 with David Miller completing an unbeaten 100 off 67 with the last ball of the match. In the unbroken stand of 56 off 27, Lungi Ngidi faced two and scored one.
To an extent unavoidable when New Zealand grabbed first place with 362 runs off 6 wickets. That match marks the highest runs on the board for any team in the current iteration of this tournament. Building this gigantic summit was the steel construction beneath the partnership of 164 off of 154 Ravindra with Kane Williamson. His stunning score of 108 from 101 balls showcased his Everlasting bold attitude and extreme talent while the rational Williamson composed himself and made 102 from 94.
Maybe South Africa would have performed better had the opposition been Australia. Before Wednesday, there had only been 4,854 ODIs played, and only two teams have successfully chased more than 363 runs. On both occasions, those teams were South Africa, and on both occasions, the opponents were Australia.
That was when the South Africans posted their 438/9 at the Wanderers, and later their 372/6 at Kingsmead.
So the New Zealanders will come back for the site where they lost to India by 44 runs on Sunday. The Kiwis will be appearing in their seventh ICC final across all formats, of which they are two time winners.
South Africans return without having claimed victory in even half of their twenty one knockout matches in ICC events. This encounter, a straight-forward loss against the clearly superior side, may not hurt as much as some of the South African deciders.
Bavuma’s roster had no other option but to travel to Dubai on Sunday because if New Zealand won against India, South Africa would have faced India on Tuesday’s semi-final match at India’s location which has been their base for the entire tournament. The South Africans stayed in the Emirates for nearly 18 hours before heading to Lahore.
Regardless of carrying a trophy, how much excitement would a long haul flight back to Dubai generate? The same can be said for the New Zealanders.
How about the Indians? They have already made this distance of a few kilometers from their hotel to the same ground four times which makes the journey rather effortless.
