Exclusive: Tristan Stubbs still haunted by T20 World Cup Final
South African cricketer Tristan Stubbs remains troubled by memories of the T20 World Cup Final, reflecting on missed opportunities and the emotional toll it took.
Image Credits: RANDY BROOKS/AFP via Getty Images
“It wasn’t easy, and it still is not easy getting asked about the T20 World Cup final,” says Tristan Stubbs ahead of Windies T20I series
Having lost their first ever World Cup final in the Caribbean two months ago, South Africa return to the islands for three T20I games against the West Indies.
PROTEAS IDENTITY & LOSING THE 2024 T20 WORLD CUP FINAL
Sport has been the one tool that best describes South Africa as a country. From the moment that the South African athletes take to the field, across all sporting codes, a vivid example is set of what the country truly stands for.
Grit, perseverance and toughness are some of the terms that best describe the country’s identity.
From the four-time Rugby World Cup winning Springboks to the reigning Ultimate Championship middleweight champion Dricus du Plessis, it is quite clear that South Africa as a country is synonymous with winning.
Image Creidts: RANDY BROOKS/AFP via Getty Images
The country might not have the world’s most talented groups of players or play the most attractive styles of play in any sports, but one thing has been proven – South African teams and players are hard to beat and just know how to win crunch games.
For the first time in the history of South African cricket, about two months ago, a similar belief gained momentum amongst the country as the Proteas qualified for the 2024 World Cup final in the Caribbean.
However, it was just not meant to be as they lost the game to India and missed out on what would have been their first ever World Cup trophy.
Nonetheless, the Proteas remained unbeaten all the way to the final of that campaign, winning games of cricket from positions that teams just should not be winning from and displayed the true South African spirit and identity in the process.
“It wasn't easy and it still is not easy getting asked about it,” Proteas batter, Tristan Stubbs, reflected on that afternoon the World Cup slipped from their hands.
It'll come up when you don't want it to. I've tried my best to forget about it. Someone spoke to us the other night about it, and you like, you don't have to tell us you feel bad for us. We just stop talking about it.
Tristan Stubbs
“Coming back to the Caribbean, you get reminded.
"We found ways to win, which I think that's an underrated skill, just being able to win ugly. And I think as a team, we can take a lot from that. You can be 50 for five and still win a T20 game and as a team that give us a lot of character. Winning becomes a habit, I feel,” he added ahead of the three-match T20 series against the West Indies starting on Friday, 22 August in Trinidad
TRANSITIONING IN FORMATS & PLAYER MANAGEMENT
At this day and age, with the growing number of franchise T20 and T10 leagues around the world, there is just a lot of cricket being played, so much that the World Cricketers Association, formerly known as FICA, put forward a solution that allows internationals and domestic leagues to "co-exist in a clear, coherent calendar" for all.
Stubbs, fresh from the Test series victory last week against a formidable West Indies unit, has to lace up his boots for a three-match T20 series that gets underway this week.
Right after the series, the 24-year-old will get involved in the Caribbean Premier League (CPL) where he will be representing the St Kitts & Nevis Patriots.
The youngster is well aware of the fatiguing workload and reckons he had gotten it wrong this time around when he availed himself for the CPL.
Nonetheless, the youngster is confident he will be able to make a seamless transition from Test cricket to T20 cricket.
“I didn't see it going the way it's gone. So, I had the CPL booked in for this month, not thinking I would play as much as I have,” Stubbs reflected on his decision to avail himself for the CPL.
So, I think going forward, if all goes to plan, it'll hopefully just be for the Proteas, the SA20 and the IPL if you’re playing all three formats.
Tristan Stubbs
“I think that's the way it has to go, because you need time off, otherwise you're just playing all the time.
“But it’s freasier playing red ball and going into T20 rather than from T20 into red ball, so it should be a bit easier going into the three games coming up now,” he added.
All three games between South Africa and the West Indies will be staged at Brian Lara Stadium in Tarouba, Trinidad.
Ongama Gcwabe is an experienced Sports Journalist based in South Africa. In his career, Ongama’s work has been published in the country’s biggest newspapers company, Independe Newspapers, and some of the leading news and sports websites including IOL Sport.