Proteas captain Temba Bavuma finally scored his first T20 half century as South Africa whitewashed Ireland 3-0 on Saturday.
🏏 What a performance to seal the series #IREvSA T20I 3-0#ThatsOurGame pic.twitter.com/ihShMk1aQf
— Cricket South Africa (@OfficialCSA) July 25, 2021
Entering the match with a combined total of only 21 runs in his last five innings in this format, Bavuma reveals that it was a change in approach that finally allowed him to break the droogte.
Alongside Reeza Hendricks, the opening pair scored 127 runs for the first wicket in Belfast after Man of the Match Bavuma opted to bat first.
Hendricks lost his wicket for 69 runs, with Bavuma getting out on 72 as South Africa totalled 189/2, thanks also to a late flurry from Man of the Series David Miller, who scored 36 off 17 balls.
George Linde (2/21), Lizaad Williams (3/30) and Wiaan Mulder (2/10) then combined to restrict Ireland to 140/9 as SA won back-to-back series after also beating the West Indies last month.
Of his performance, Bavuma says: “From a batting point of view, our approach was slightly different in this game.
“We felt we really wanted to lay a foundation up front… we tried to be too aggressive [in the past] and as a result we lost early wickets.
“Fortunately Reeza [Hendricks] and I were able to do it.
“I have been lean on runs, so being able to still being true to the game plan and put aside my own personal ambitions and anxieties to really try and execute for the team [was most important].”
The Proteas now return home after back-to-back tours which started in the Caribbean with the Test series against the West Indies early last month.