Heinrich Klaasen remarked that batters would be eager to depart from the challenging New York pitch and Nassau County stadium following another tense encounter against Bangladesh. South Africa successfully defended a modest total of 113 runs against Bangladesh on Monday, June 10.
Reflecting on their victory, Klaasen, who was named Player of the Match, acknowledged the difficulty of batting on the New York pitch, which has favoured bowlers. He credited David Miller's approach in the previous game and revealed that they approached batting with a mindset more akin to One-Day Internationals (ODIs) rather than typical T20 cricket.
"We saw how David batted in the last game, almost similar to how we approach an ODI. Our mindset wasn't geared towards typical T20 aggression. Instead, we focused on maintaining a run rate of one per ball. We knew a couple of big hits could take us over the required rate," explained Klaasen.
Observing the struggles of both India and Pakistan in the previous match, Klaasen emphasised the need for a shift in mindset to adapt to the challenging conditions. He highlighted their strategy of adopting a more conservative approach initially before accelerating in the final overs.
While acknowledging the bowler-friendly conditions, Klaasen expressed relief that South Africa managed to secure three wins in New York, providing valuable preparation for the next phase of the competition.
"While the bowlers may relish the conditions here, most of us batters are eager to move on. Nonetheless, securing three victories out of three was our objective. It proved tougher than expected, but it's a valuable experience for future challenges," said Klaasen.
With their New York leg concluded South Africa now shifts their focus to facing Nepal in St. Vincent on June 15.