T20 World Cup 2021: 5 times controversy hit South Africa’s World Cup campaign

The South African cricket team found itself in the midst of a major controversy after experienced wicketkeeper-batter Quinton de Kock pulled out of the team’s T20 World Cup 2021 encounter against West Indies due to 'personal reasons'.

Both Cricket South Africa (CSA) and team captain Temba Bavuma confirmed that De Kock sat out of the game, as he wasn’t ready to take a knee ahead of the match, as instructed by CSA.

On Thursday, De Kock released an official statement and issued an apology. The left-handed batsman clarified that he was not a racist and that he was willing to take a knee in the remaining matches as part of the Black Lives Matter (BLM) initiative. The 28-year-old thus made himself available for South Africa’s remaining T20 World Cup 2021 games.

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South Africa’s tryst with controversies at the World Cup

While the De Kock issue was South Africa’s first major controversy in the T20 version of the World Cup, running into trouble is not alien to the Proteas when it comes to the ICC event.

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#1 1992 World Cup - The ‘unfair’ rain rule

The scorecard says it all during the South Africa-England 1992 World Cup semi-final

South Africa were knocked out of their maiden World Cup in 1992 in rather bizarre fashion. Led by Kepler Wessels, the Proteas were mighty impressive in their first World Cup appearance as they reached the semi-finals, where they took on England.

England batted first and posted 252-6 in 45 overs, Graeme Hick top-scoring with 83. South Africa were 231 for 6 off 42.5 overs when rain halted play. When the match resumed, the big scorecard in Sydney first displayed 22 off 7 balls as the revised target. But to South Africa’s horror, it was quickly changed to 22 off 1 ball, on the basis of the rain-rule used in those days (the actual requirement was 21 off 1 ball). There was no Duckworth/Lewis back then.

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While many criticised the rule, which led to South Africa’s exit, a few critics pointed out that they had themselves to blame too. The Proteas only allowed England to play 45 overs in their stipulated time period by using time-wasting tactics, thus robbing the batting side of crucial slog overs.

Back then, a team’s innings ended when the allotted time was over, even if the bowling side hadn’t completed 50 overs. South Africa’s own target was revised based on the 45 overs they sent down.

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#2 1999 World Cup - The ‘earpiece’ controversy

Hansie Cronje spotted with the earpiece. Pic: @PictureSporting/ Twitter

During South Africa’s opening match in the 1999 World Cup played against India in Hove, captain Hansie Cronje and fast bowler Allan Donald walked out to the field with earpieces. This was an idea devised by coach Bob Woolmer to interact with players out in the middle.

The television commentators were quick to spot the earpieces. Indian batter Sourav Ganguly, who was opening the batting with Sachin Tendulkar, drew the attention of the umpires, Steve Bucknor and David Shepherd, towards the same.

The on-field officials, after having a chat with Cronje, approached match referee Talat Ali for a ruling. Ali, in turn, contacted the ICC and was told that while the earpieces were technically not breaching any rules, they were unfair. During the drinks break, Ali instructed the two South African players to get rid of their earpieces.

# 3 1999 World Cup - Caught or dropped?

A screengrab of Herschelle Gibbs’ dropped catch.

There was another controversial moment during South Africa’s Super Six encounter against Australia in Leeds during the 1999 World Cup. The Aussies were chasing 272 to win and book a place in the semi-finals against the same opponents.

After losing some early wickets, captain Steve Waugh was guiding the chase. The match was finely balanced at 152 for 3. On the last ball of the 31st over, Waugh flicked a ball from Lance Klusener straight to Herschelle Gibbs at mid wicket.

The fielder took the catch, but as he went to throw it up in celebration, he lost control of the ball, and it went to ground. There was a debate over whether Gibbs had been in control of the ball for long enough. The umpires eventually concluded it was a ‘dropped’ catch.

Waugh went on to remain unbeaten on 120 to guide his side to victory, and lead them to the semis of the 1999 World Cup. Legend has it that Waugh apparently told Gibbs he had 'dropped the World Cup'.

A few years back, though, Waugh clarified that all he told the South African was something on the lines of “That’s going to cost your team.” The Aussie legend admitted that he did not clarify the 'dropped the World Cup' story earlier, as it sounded good.

The missed catch would haunt South Africa further in the World Cup. The Proteas played out a pulsating tie with the Aussies in the semis, but were knocked out, as Australia had defeated them in the Super Six stage.

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#4 2003 World Cup - Hosts South Africa's Duckworth/Lewis blunder

Lance Klusener and Mark Boucher leave the field as rain falls during the ICC Cricket World Cup 2003 match. Pic: Getty Images

If 1992 was a massive disappointment, the 2003 World Cup played at home was an even bigger disaster for South Africa. The Proteas needed to win their last group match against Sri Lanka to progress to the next round.

Batting first in Durban, Sri Lanka had posted an impressive 268-9 on the back of Marvan Atapattu’s 124 and Aravinda de Silva’s 73. Herschelle Gibbs also made 73 in South Africa’s chase to keep them in the hunt. With rain coming in, South African wicketkeeper-batter Mark Boucher was told the team needed to be at 229 at the end of the 45th over.

Boucher hit a six off the penultimate ball of the over from Muttiah Muralitharan to take the score to 229 for 6. He defended the last ball calmly. There was no further play in the match. However, South Africa had miscalculated the target terribly. 229 was the score to tie the game, and South Africa needed one more to win.

In their maiden World Cup at home, the Proteas were knocked out in the first round. Captain Shaun Pollock, with his hands on his head in the dressing room, cut a sorry figure.

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#5 2015 World Cup - The Philander selection controversy

Dale Steyn looks on as Daniel Vettori and Grant Elliott of New Zealand celebrate winning the 2015 Cricket World Cup semi-final. Pic: Getty Images

There was a massive controversy with regards to Vernon Philander’s selection ahead of the in-form Kyle Abbott for the 2015 World Cup semi-final against New Zealand in Auckland. According to reports in South African media, Philander was included in the XI on the insistence of members of Cricket South Africa (CSA) and against the wishes of both captain AB de Villiers and coach Russell Domingo.

The reports claimed that the board insisted on Philander's inclusion to ensure South Africa fielded four players of colour - Hashim Amla, JP Duminy and Imran Tahir being the other three. CSA, however, rubbished all claims, and insisted that the team was picked on merit.

Philander had a forgettable outing with the ball, conceding 52 runs in his eight overs without claiming a wicket. South Africa lost yet another World Cup knockout clash as Grant Elliott slammed Dale Steyn for a six to seal victory for the Kiwis. Following his retirement, Philander admitted that interference in selection and chaos in CSA forced him to call it quits earlier than he would have liked to.

In his autobiography, AB de Villiers broke his silence on the 2015 World Cup selection controversy. He confirmed that half an hour prior to the usual team meeting, he was called in by the selectors. They informed him that Vernon Philander would start the game ahead of Kyle Abbott.

In his book, he wrote:

"It was generally assumed the same team would be named to play in the semifinal. That was my expectation as captain, until I was called to a meeting at 5.30 pm on the evening before the match, half an hour before our usual team meeting was due to start, and was told Vernon Philander, who had passed his fitness test a few days earlier, would play instead of Kyle Abbott."

The semi-final ended in tears for South Africa, as they suffered yet another heartbreak at the quadrennial ICC event.