Maharaj on Proteas' faith in spin: that's what the spinners have needed

Proteas limited-overs vice-captain Keshav Maharaj has lauded the national team coaches and selectors for showing faith in the spinners.

The left-arm spinner was speaking after the Proteas crushed Sri Lanka in the third and final match to sweep the three-game T20 series in Colombo and complete the team’s third successive series win in the shortest format ahead of the T20 World Cup next month.

The Proteas beat Sri Lanka at their own game, playing spin relatively well and strangling their hosts, who grew up predominantly playing spin, with four spinners — Maharaj, Tabraiz Shamsi and Bjorn Fortuin, who were well supported by part-timer Aiden Markram.

The off-spin of Markram troubled the Sri Lanka batters and will come in handy for the Proteas at the World Cup on slow wickets in the United Arab Emirates and Oman.

“I think it is very crucial for a spinner to be backed. It is often that we can go for a few runs but it is important that we are given the confidence to come back and Bjorn showed that today,” said Maharaj, who captained the team with aplomb in the five matches regular skipper Temba Bavuma missed due to a finger injury sustained in the opening ODI game in Sri Lanka. SA lost the ODIs 2-1 in the six-game limited overs series.

“Shamsi has been exceptional, he might go for runs in his first couple of overs but he finds a way to come back and still go for six runs an over and pick up wickets.

“I think it is a bit of backing and support and that is what the spinners have needed in our country, and it is good that the coaches and the selectors are starting to back spin more and see the impact that we can have in the game.

“I think it is a good confidence booster knowing that you have the backing from the hierarchy within the team.”

The Proteas selected three specialist spinners in their 15-member World Cup squad, and will hope that Markram will also make an impact in the dry and spinning Middle East conditions.

The Proteas' non-IPL squad members arrived back in the country on Tuesday for a two-week sojourn before leaving for the World Cup, which runs from  October 17 to November 14.

They will be joined in Dubai by Anrich Nortjé, David Miller, Kagiso Rabada, Quinton de Kock and Markram, who flew out of Colombo to link up with Proteas teammate Lungi Ngidi in Dubai for the completion of the IPL in UAE from September 19 to October 15.