Baartman makes strong impression for spot in bowling attack to move ahead in SA’s bowling queue for the T20 WC.
Rabada has been sidelined for the whole India trip while he heals from a rib injury, but South Africa has fared better than anticipated. Although Lungi Ngidi has skilfully led the T20I attack and Marco Jansen has sparkled in both aggression and wicket-taking, these are individuals we would expect to move up.
With a strong showing in the series-leveling second Twenty20 International in New Chandigarh, Ottneil Baartman has recovered from the cold. After last taking a four-for against the Netherlands at the 2024 T20 World Cup, Baartman’s 4 for 24 served as a reminder of his abilities.
There, Baartman was the new kid on the block for South Africa. He was selected for the national squad after dominating the bowling charts for the majority of the SA20 before his teammate Jansen passed him in the final. At the start of the World Cup, he had only played one international match.
He was an ideal choice for the drop-in pitch in Nassau County, where he achieved the most of his success, because of his control, ability to move the ball off the seam, and ability to execute both a precise yorker and a solid bouncer. However, by the time South Africa reached the business end, he was benched. Since then, he has made few appearances due to a knee ailment as well as South Africa’s abundance issue.
Baartman has only participated in nine of South Africa’s 29 Twenty20 Internationals since the 2024 T20 World Cup and hasn’t had much chance to establish himself under Shukri Conrad. Up to New Chandigarh.
Baartman, who was selected in the starting lineup to attempt to tie the series against an India team that had left South Africa in ruins following game one, was given the ball in the eighth over after considerable damage had already been done.
Baartman needed three balls to have an effect. The left-handed Axar attempted to smash it over the covers but mishit to Reeza Hendricks, the fielder, as he pitched it full and angled away. Although Hendricks’ excellent low catch will be remembered for the dismissal, Baartman’s line, length and seam movement also contributed to the breakthrough.
With India 89 for 4 and barely hanging on, he was brought back for the 12th over after his initial spell lasted only one over. Baartman maintained a stump-to-stump line and varied his lengths from short to the yorker, giving up just five runs in his second over at a required run-rate of 13.88.
Baartman, who will play for the Paarl Royals in season four after spending three summers with the Sunrisers Eastern Cape, will be the happiest person to hear that. In all three SA20 tournaments, he has been among the top ten wicket-takers, and another impressive showing might earn him a spot in the T20 World Cup for the second time in a row.