South Africa's middle-order batter Tristan Stubbs is still trying to come to terms with the defeat in ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2024 final. Ahead of his first T20I match since the loss in Barbados to India, Stubbs said that he has tried his best to forget it but it is easier said than done. He does not want to remember the day when South Africa missed out on a chance to win their first World Cup trophy.
"T20 WC Final results come up when you don't want it to. I've tried my best to forget, but it's not easy. Someone the other night told us about this and you're like, 'you don't have to tell us, if you feel bad for us'...Some things you don't want to remember," Stubbs told IOA in a recent interaction.
Stubbs batted at no.4 in the run chase. After two early wickets, he shared a crucial 58-run partnership with Quinton de Kock. But in an attempt to reverse sweep left-arm spinner Axar Patel, he got bowled. It was unnecessary shot considering the stage South Africa were in the run chase. He scored 31 runs from 21 balls. South Africa ended up losing the match by just seven runs.
Stubbs had a decent run in the Test series against West Indies. He scored 138 runs from four innings including a half-century in the first Test. The last time he played a T20I against West Indies was in a league stage game in T20 World Cup 2024. He scored 29 runs from 27 balls in the successful run chase.
Stubbs’ T20I career
Stubbs who made his T20I debut in 2022 has played 26 T20Is so far. He has scored 404 runs from 21 innings at an average of 25.25 and strike rate of 127.44. His solitary half-century came against England in his debut T20I innings in 2022.
Several players rested
Aiden Markram-led South Africa will lock horns with West Indies in the T20I format starting August 23. Only three players from the playing XI of T20 World Cup 2024 final are a part of the three-T20I series on Caribbean soil.
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