UAE win shows South Africa are ready for anyone

South Africa's bench players got their chance in the dead rubber against the United Arab Emirates at the T20 World Cup. With qualification for the Super Eights already secured, Jason Smith, Anrich Nortje, and Kwena Maphaka were brought into the side, while George Linde returned as the sole specialist spinner.

Corbin Bosch noted the seamless integration: "Everyone worked in harmony. It was a nice run, especially as you never know what happens later in the competition."

Kagiso Rabada, coming off a tough final over against Afghanistan, bowled a decent first over, though Aryansh Sharma managed a mishit six. The conditions in Delhi didn't help the bowlers—the outfield is small, and the square boundary in front of the Mohinder Amarnath Stand measured just 59 metres, the minimum allowed.

Maphaka's first over included three wides, but he improved in his second spell. Anrich Nortje, now clean-shaven, conceded a few runs but wasn't overly expensive in his first game of the tournament.

George Linde struck early, trapping Muhammad Waseem lbw. Corbin Bosch then removed Aryansh Sharma and later Sohaib Khan, finishing with economical figures.

The fielding, however, was uncharacteristically sloppy. South Africa dropped four catches after not dropping any in their first three games. Alishan Sharafu survived two blows to the helmet and was dropped twice. Bosch acknowledged, "We'd rather have it happen now," implying it was better now than against India.

In the chase of 123, South Africa won with six wickets and 40 balls to spare. Jason Smith hit the winning runs but was visibly frustrated earlier when he found the fielder off his first ball.

Post-match, the focus quickly shifted to South Africa's upcoming match against India. When asked about India's batters, Bosch said, "Their whole batting line-up is destructive. So all of them. I'm not going to pick one."

Dewald Brevis was equally reserved, stating, "We'll just keep playing how we're playing. That's all I need to say." On facing India's spinner Varun Chakravarthy, Brevis added, "He's a spin bowler, so I will play him like a spinner; watch the ball and react to it."

Off the field, Bosch navigated the press area in his socks to avoid slipping, while Brevis handled the large media presence calmly despite initial surprise.

The message was clear: South Africa are prepared, focused, and ready for anyone—India included.