Maharaj adopts defensive tactics for Champions Trophy opener in Karachi

With forecasts for flat decks offering little to no assistance for seamers and spinners, it wouldn't be far-fetched to assume that South Africa’s batters are wearing the grin of a Cheshire cat as they traipse around Karachi before the Champions Trophy.

Scores of 300-plus in each of the innings’ in the matches South Africa have played since arriving in Pakistan two weeks ago suggest a tournament that will be high on runs and a headache for bowlers.   

“They are quite happy with the conditions,” vice-captain and bowler Keshav Maharaj said about the Proteas’ batting group. However, that doesn’t mean they'll have their feet up by the pool, sipping iced tea.

“They understand that it is not somewhere where you rock up and just score runs. When wickets are in your favour, you train harder [because] you want to make the most of the opportunity.”

Maharaj was quick to outline that training sessions have been intense.

“The guys have been working hard. There is no sense of complacency on the batting front, even though the conditions are deemed to be in their favour.”

Their pre-tournament record of six consecutive ODI defeats is not something weighing on the players, he said, because for the most part they haven’t been together as a unit since the World Cup in India in 2023.

Maharaj’s primary focus has been on how to be a threat on surfaces that offer so little assistance. Doing so will require a similar mindset to what most spinners in South Africa are accustomed to, he said.

“To get success, it's about building pressure and limiting the boundary balls in between.

“It’s not about changing the way that I bowl. It's about changing the field settings. I’m still trying to bowl my best ball to create an opportunity, but with a more defensive field [like maybe] dropping the slip [earlier].”

Pace and flight are going to be crucial to keep the opposing batters honest, he said.

“You still want to try to spin the ball, with more revolutions you still create dip and drift. I want to play with the overspin and the sidespin and see which one gets more of a reaction.”

Maharaj and the rest of the attack aren’t bemoaning their lot in life. Rather they’re relishing the challenge of bowling in conditions that offer nothing.

“Everyone wants to see runs on the board. As a bowler I’m going to be biased and say we want wickets where scores are [more than] 250, because that gives us more of a chance.”

“It is a wonderful opportunity to see the class within the bowling line-up. If as cricketers you’re not tested in your chosen skill, then you won’t challenge yourself to get better. When bowlers do come out on top, it shows their class and worth.”

South Africa open their tournament against Afghanistan in Karachi on Friday. Even though conditions aren’t favouring spin, the likes of Rashid Khan and Noor Ahmad — both well-known to the Proteas because of the SA20 — will always create a challenge. 

The intrigue for the Proteas will be the composition of their attack. If, as they believe, conditions don’t suit spin, it’s unlikely Tabraiz Shamsi will play. That would mean Maharaj as the front-line spinner with a four-man pace attack likely to feature Wiaan Mulder, Marco Jansen and Kagiso Rabada.

The big question for Walter and skipper Temba Bavuma will be who to select between Corbin Bosch and Lungi Ngidi. Bosch offers something with the bat but Ngidi, when at his best, provides more variety and control with the ball.

All the Champions Trophy squads, groups and fixtures here