T20 WC: South Africa coach's 'cupcake' jibe after another 'chokers' reminder

TimesofIndia.com successful New Delhi: South Africa are connected an unbeaten tally successful the T20 World Cup. Except for the treble Super Over against Afghanistan, they've steamrolled apical teams, including India, whom they bushed by 76 runs.

On a seven-match winning streak, South Africa hopes to shed their 'chokers' tag.The bequest of that tag has followed the Proteas for the past 2 decades. It started with the 1999 World Cup nonaccomplishment to Australia and persisted until the 2024 T20 World Cup, losing the last to India successful the Caribbean.

Now, the reigning World Test Championship winners are the squad to bushed successful the T20 World Cup being played successful India and Sri Lanka. Their winning tally continued with a 5-wicket triumph implicit Zimbabwe connected Sunday. Coach Shukri Conrad was asked if this brings unit and the much-dreaded reminder of being chokers?"There's ever pressure. I deliberation it's what you bash with that unit and however you displacement the pressure.

As for the C-word [chokers], I deliberation there's different 1 for that - 'cupcakes.' I'm definite we benignant of enjoyed that," said Conrad.The cupcake notation relates to a TV advert successful the lead-up to the India vs South Africa Super Eight lucifer wherever an Indian instrumentality jokingly told a South Africa protagonist astir "repeating history" from the 2024 T20 World Cup portion teasing them implicit a cupcake. But aft South Africa's resounding triumph against India successful Ahmedabad, that excavation flipped connected its head.

"No, there's ever unit and it's truly astir embracing that pressure. And we don't bash things immoderate differently. We're going to hole precisely the aforesaid mode for New Zealand. Whether we commencement arsenic favourites? Probably due to the fact that we're the lone unbeaten broadside successful the competition. But I don't cognize if that adds to the pressure," continued Conrad."I deliberation the semi-final is unit enough. Playing a pugnacious broadside successful New Zealand is unit enough.

So there's nary added pressure."I'm gladsome that we're favourites due to the fact that I ever felt that arsenic a South African squad you privation to beryllium capable to play arsenic a favourite due to the fact that it's casual being an underdog. The anticipation isn't that much. But if we tin proceed doing what we're doing past we request a small spot of luck on the mode arsenic well."Hopefully that volition springiness america the effect connected Wednesday and past connected to our 'home ground' successful Ahmedabad," helium finished cheekily.