Former South Africa left-arm wrist spinner Paul Adams has been impressed by Keshav Maharaj and Tabraiz Shamsi at the ICC World Cup in India and believes they have major roles to play as the tournament progresses towards the business end.
Temba Bavuma's charges came into the tournament as underdogs but have managed to increase expectations of glory by winning five of their first six matches.
While South Africa's quicks Gerald Coetzee, Kagiso Rababa and Marco Jansen have taken the lion's share of the wickets, Maharaj and Shamsi have been playing the secondary role splendidly with Maharaj taking seven wickets at an economy rate of 4.90 in six matches while Shamsi has six wickets at 5.49 per over.
Unorthodox spinner Shamsi was recalled after the Australia match in Lucknow and had a field day as he spun a web around Pakistan, claiming four wickets in the team's narrow victory in Chennai.
Finger-spinner Maharaj was not at his usual best with the ball in that match, but he remains one of the crucial cogs in the South African wheel. His ability to keep things tight at one end and complement Shamsi's penchant for being slightly adventurous work as an effective combination.
“It is good to see Shamsi get his confidence back,” said South Africa Under-19 spin consultant Adams. “He will have to play a big role in the back end of World Cup on those pitches when they start spinning and with Keshav always being solid it will create good momentum towards the end of the tournament.”
South Africa have three games remaining in the round-robin stages starting with New Zealand at the Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium in Pune on Wednesday. They then play India in Kolkata on Sunday and wrap up against Afghanistan in Ahmadabad next week. A victory in just one of the three matches will put them into the semifinals.
Adams, who played 24 ODIs for the Proteas, says they need more of a killer instinct with the ball. The South Africans have been criticised by onlookers for not being able to finish off tail-enders despite doing the hard yards upfront to eliminate the top order.
“Our big rival will be India. Rohit Sharma is up there with the tournament's leading run-scorers together with Virat Kohli,” Adams said. “If we are to succeed in beating them on Sunday, we have to get rid of their top order quickly because that is the spine of the Indians' batting line-up.
“Same with New Zealand on Wednesday, [Rachin] Ravindra, [Devon] Conway, [Daryl] Mitchell have been doing well up top for them in getting the runs. If we can strike with the new ball, it gives our spinners a chance through the middle to take those wickets.
“It will be key that Marco [Jansen] continues with his in-form performances.
“Management will be looking at patterns and each phase of the games where they can improve in terms of execution and awareness of conditions and what is being put in front of them.
“It is key they examine each phase; the concern now is at the back, they just have to devise plans and look to execute and be consistent,” he said.
