Zimbabwe coach David Houghton has lashed T20 World Cup officials for allowing their match against South Africa to continue in ‘ridiculous’ rain. Houghton said the rain was so heavy play should have been stopped before Zimbabwe even bowled a ball. “I understand the need to try to get these games (played) for the public and for everybody else,” he told reporters.
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Quinton de Kock’s blistering knock nearly handed South Africa victory over Zimbabwe before rain played spoilsport in their T20 World Cup opener in Hobart on Monday and both teams ended up sharing the points. South Africa were comfortably chasing a reduced target of 64 off seven overs, after the match was already reduced to nine overs per side due to rain, and made an electric start with De Kock smashing 23 in the first over alone.
The coach further added, “I understand the need for us to try to play in slightly inclement weather to try to get a result. I thought we overstepped the mark in this game. The umpires are making those decisions out in the middle. They seemed to think it was fit to play. I disagree with them, but there’s not much I can do off the field.”
The South Africa camp are trying to put a frustrating night in Hobart behind them as they fly north for the remainder of the #T20WorldCup https://t.co/DNGPG703hN
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— T20 World Cup (@T20WorldCup) October 25, 2022
“The rain had gotten so heavy at one stage, it was ridiculous. For most of the evening it was misty. But it got to the stage where we could hear it thumping on the rooftop in the dugout. That’s no longer … drizzle, that’s time to get off the field. There were difficult conditions for both sides but it just got more and more wet as we bowled,” Houghton said.
Zimbabwe will play Pakistan in their next Super 12 match in Perth on Thursday while South Africa face Bangladesh, who kicked off their T20 World Cup with a laboured nine-run win over the Netherlands after paceman Taskin Ahmed took four wickets.
