Sixty-one days can bring dramatic shifts in T20 cricket. In that span, South Africa strung together eight consecutive wins, only to fall just seven runs short of securing their first-ever senior World Cup title. Yet, during the same period, they stumbled to three consecutive losses against the West Indies, one of the teams they had previously defeated in similar conditions during the tournament.
South Africa's T20 series in Tarouba, Trinidad, concluded on Tuesday with the home team clinching an eight-wicket victory, adding to their 30-run win on Sunday and a seven-wicket triumph on Friday. The Brian Lara Cricket Academy, the venue for these matches, was also where South Africa dismantled Afghanistan for a mere 56 runs in their T20 World Cup semifinal on June 27. That match ended in a nine-wicket win for South Africa with 11.1 overs to spare, but just two days later, they narrowly lost to India by seven runs in a tense final at Kensington Oval. The question arises: where did South Africa's earlier form disappear to?
This question oversimplifies the situation, as do the generalisations that accompany it. Only four of the 12 South African players from the T20 World Cup—Reeza Hendricks, Aiden Markram, Tristan Stubbs, and Ottneil Baartman—returned for this series. Absent were three of their top five run-scorers from the tournament, as well as all of their leading wicket-takers and most economical bowlers.
In contrast, the West Indies fielded nine of the 14 players who had featured in the T20 World Cup. Their squad included all five of their top run-scorers from the tournament, along with key bowlers, ensuring greater continuity than their South African counterparts.
The series pitches offered sharp turn, but they were far removed from the semifinal surface, which was criticised by the ICC for its inconsistent bounce. Despite these differences, the West Indies' sustained high performance in T20 cricket deserves recognition. They have won four of their last six bilateral T20I series, starting with a 2-1 victory in South Africa in March last year. Rovman Powell, the West Indies captain, expressed satisfaction after Tuesday’s match, noting that it felt good to beat a quality opponent like South Africa, especially given that the West Indies had been on the receiving end of whitewashes in the past.
The West Indies have been whitewashed in 12 of their 49 T20I series, with Pakistan and India being the most frequent perpetrators. However, they have only managed to inflict a whitewash on six occasions, with the most recent one before this series occurring against South Africa at Sabina Park in May.
Of the South African players from that series, only Quinton de Kock, Reeza Hendricks, Anrich Nortje, and Ottneil Baartman played in the T20 World Cup. Hendricks and Baartman were the only two to feature in both the World Cup and the current series. This context helps explain South Africa's recent struggles in the Caribbean.
South Africa's coach, Rob Walter, hinted at the experimentation in team selection during their two recent trips to the West Indies, aiming to give new faces an opportunity against strong opponents.
One standout performer was Tristan Stubbs, who missed the May series but played a crucial role in the T20 World Cup. Stubbs was South Africa's top batter in the series, scoring their only half-century—a 42-ball 76 in the first game—and leading the team in runs, balls faced, and average. His promotion to No. 3 in the Test series also paid off, with Stubbs scoring 138 runs in four innings, including a 68 on a challenging pitch at Queen's Park Oval.
Walter praised Stubbs for his wide range of shots and his ability to handle both spin and seam bowling, noting that Stubbs had shown his potential to dominate the end of innings.
Another bright spot for South Africa was Kwena Maphaka, who became the youngest man to debut for the senior national team at 18 years and 137 days. Maphaka took just one wicket in the series, but his economy rate of 8.94 was the best among his teammates, especially impressive given the powerful hitting of Romario Shepherd, Shimron Hetmyer, Shai Hope, and Nicholas Pooran.
Walter highlighted Maphaka’s speed and his ability to handle the pressure of bowling at the death, emphasising the importance of managing Maphaka’s development carefully to help him become a key player for South Africa.
Maphaka himself spoke about the honour of becoming South Africa’s youngest men’s player, calling it something he would treasure for a long time. He recalled how, from a young age, people recognised his talent, and by the age of six or seven, he had already set his sights on becoming a Protea.
Reflecting on his debut, Maphaka shared that it was surreal to be in the dressing room with players he had watched on TV just a year or two ago. He expressed excitement about his future in cricket, even as he prepares to return home to finish his final year of high school.
For now, Maphaka's journey in cricket is just beginning, with a promising career ahead.