Klaasen Discusses the Challenges of Batting in New York
After the four-run victory of team South Africa against Bangladesh in the ICC T20 World Cup 20-20 over the batsman of South Africa, Heinrich Klaasen said that while the low-scoring short format matches in New York are not a "great selling product" to the world, for cricketers and hardcore fans, it makes the game more competitive and entertaining. On Monday, in the battle of unbeaten sides, South Africa prevailed over Bangladesh in a final-ball thriller at the Nassau County International Cricket Stadium and took a step closer to qualifying for the Super 8 stage.
Speaking after the game in the post-match press conference, Klaasen was questioned if the matches on these tough pitches are enjoyable to the players, to which Klaasen replied, “It is still good cricket for the cricket lovers that are out there. If you have to showcase it to the world and sell it, I do not think it’s a great selling product, but for cricket, there is tight competition. It brings the other teams and the higher teams very close to each other, so the game is open to any team that does the basics of cricket very well.”
He further added, “For us, it is very nerve-wracking, because every game becomes a really big game. There are no easy games for us, especially in our group. So, it is still entertaining cricket. Everyone is on the edge of their seat, and any team can beat any team on this field.”