It’s game time: East Coast Breakfast chat with Proteas

Cricket fans are in for a treat as South Africa face off against India in the Wonder Cement T20 series, kicking off at 5pm on Friday.

For the Proteas, this is more than just a match, it's a fresh opportunity to show what they’re capable of against one of the toughest teams in the world.

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East Coast Breakfast caught up with KZN Cricket Union & Hollywoodbets Dolphins CEO Heinrich Strydom, Ottniel Baartman, and Donovan Ferreira, who shared their excitement and game-day strategies.

Ottniel summed up the team’s mindset, saying: “Different conditions, new series. What happened in the past happened in the past.” It’s clear the Proteas are leaving past results behind, laser-focused on tomorrow's challenge.

Ferreira emphasised the magnitude of playing India: “Playing against India is a challenge on its own. We’re just as good and definitely up for it.”

Referring to the hunger sparked by the World Cup, Donovan noted that the team is fired up to redeem themselves in front of a home crowd. With a four-match series on the line, he acknowledged the edge that comes with starting strong, adding: “Head to head, I think we’re better than them. It’s our home turf; we know exactly how to play in these conditions.”

There’s an added layer of excitement with a sold-out crowd, something Ottniel says fuels the team’s energy.

“It’s exciting to play in front of a full crowd. We have all bases covered for this one,” he shared.

As for standout players to watch, Strydom noted that both Ottniel and Donovan are two to keep an eye out on, but also mentioned David Miller and Keshav Maharaj: “We have an exciting 11 tomorrow”.

With the stage set and the atmosphere charged, South Africa is ready to show India what they’re made of.

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