Temba Bavuma received an SA20 contract despite being passed over at the auction last year thanks to his performances in South Africa’s 2-1 ODI series victory over England. Tom Abell at Sunrisers Eastern Cape will be replaced by Bavuma. Because of Bavuma’s powerful hitting, the team decided to replace Abell, who would be joining the England Lions, with him.
With 180 runs from three games, Bavuma scored the most runs of his ODI career and led South Africa in the series. In addition to ending the series with his match-winning century in the second ODI, he played all three games with a strike rate of over 100. On two of South Africa’s largest grounds, Bloemfontein and Kimberley, where he had previously been criticized for his lack of power hitting, Bavuma struck 23 fours and three sixes while also providing strong leadership for the South African team.
Bavuma has drawn flak for his dismal T20I scoring rate. Additionally, he had expressed regret about not being chosen in the SA20 auction last September. He had placed his base price at Rand 850,000 (about $48,000) but received no takers. Despite serving as South Africa’s white-ball captain, he had been passed over for selection in his nation’s T20 competition. He made amends in white-ball cricket, though, by scoring a series-winning, excellent hundred against England in the second ODI. Moreover, he will serve as South Africa’s White ball captain.
Following his hundred, Bavuma expressed his delight in being able to demonstrate to others that “I am still here,” and he revealed that he had worked with interim coach Shukri Conrad to alter his perspective so that he could challenge bowlers more. It was one of his best innings, he subsequently claimed, because of his back-foot play and shot selection against spinners.
