If Zimbabwe were in our position, they would have carried on: Mark Boucher after no result in South Africa’s T20 WC match

T20 World Cup 2022: South Africa head coach Mark Boucher was disappointed after the Proteas’ match against Zimbabwe was called off due to persistent rain.

If ZIM were in our position, they would have carried on: Boucher after SA’s T20 WC match. Courtesy: Reuters

By India Today Web Desk: Head coach Mark Boucher was gutted after South Africa’s T20 World Cup 2022 Super 12 match against Zimbabwe ended in a stalemate after consistent spells of showers. The match at the Bellerive Oval in Hobart was called off when the Proteas needed 13 runs off 24 balls with all their 10 wickets in hand.

Sean Williams, who was about to bowl the fourth over in South Africa’s run-chase, was unhappy as the umpires tried their best to make sure that a full match took place.

“I thought it was tough conditions, we are all here to play in a World Cup, but obviously we wanted to play. It seemed both captains wanted to play at the start, having a look at the game before the field was fairly wet as well. There has been a little bit of rain going around.

“Players don’t make those decisions and it’s the officials who make them and that is what happened,” Boucher was quoted as saying in the post-match press conference.

Initially, it was decided that the game would be a nine-over affair. Zimbabwe set their opponents a target of 80 after opting to bat first. After the Proteas scored 40 off two overs, the rain arrived again and they were given a revised target of 64 runs off seven overs.

South Africa scored 51 off three overs as Quinton de Kock blazed away to an unbeaten 18-ball 47 with eight fours and one six. Just when it seemed to be a matter of a couple of shots for South Africa to secure a win, rain interrupted and the game had to be called off.

“I think we did, we bowled with a ball that was quite wet as well. Look, we were in a very good position. So, we all got away from his game, thinking we were hard done by whether the game should have taken place or not,” Boucher stated.

“If Zimbabwe were in our position, they would have wanted to carry on playing. We are not there to make the calls. That’s what the officials do. We got to live with their decisions,” he added.