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Cape Town - South Africa’s familiarity with the Indian bowlers thanks to their exposure to the Indian Premier League (IPL) could be advantageous to the Proteas on what looks to be a spinner-friendly wicket in Dhaka in the semi-finals of the World T20 against India on Friday, said former Proteas batsman, HD Ackerman.
Quinton de Kock, AB de Villiers, JP Duminy, Faf du Plessis, Albie Morkel, Dale Steyn, Morné Morkel, and David Miller all have a wealth of IPL experience.
According to the supersport.com website, Ackerman said the left-right-combinations fielded by South Africa could be an important factor in neutralising the spinners Amit Mishra, Ravi Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja.
He explained that it’s difficult to smash Ashwin and Jadeja in the T20-format, as batsmen cannot wait for their bad deliveries.
"They have to make it happen.
"And that’s one of the reasons for Imran Tahir’s success is that batsmen went after him and paid the price."
He still feels the South African management should continue with De Villiers at three, where he compiled a match-winning 69 off 28 balls against England in the Group One-encounter in Chittagong.
"Lance Klusener (the Dolphins coach) has been very clever in selecting Miller at four and telling him that he is his X-factor-man.
"I think we should do it as well as Miller at four can play with freedom in the knowledge that JP Duminy at No 5 and Faf du Plessis at No 6 are next in.
"If AB and David score heavily, we will post 190 and probably win the game.
"It is important that we post a very competitive score as the Indian batting order is dynamite, and their strongest suit," said Ackerman.
Ackerman added that the South African selectors might opt for Aaron Phangiso as third spinner, possibly at the expense of Beuran Hendricks.
Hendricks was sensational in the RAM SLAM T20 Challenge tournament in South Africa and finished with 28 scalps, more than any other domestic bowler in this domestic tournament.
