Ryan Rickelton’s experience coming in handy at the T20 World Cup

At 29, Ryan Rickelton is no longer a youngster, and he is using all his experience to his advantage at the T20 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka.

Rickelton has already played a key role for the Proteas in their two matches with knocks of 33 (v Canada) and 61 (v Afghanistan), as he has carried on his form from the SA20.

In fact, Rickelton led the run-scoring charts for the SA20 during the group phase before his side, MI Cape Town, bowed out before the playoffs. In 10 matches, Rickelton scored 337 runs at an average of 42 at a strike rate of 156. He also notched up two centuries during the competition— with only three other batsmen managing centuries during season four.

Rickelton also has experience at the T20 World Cup before, as he was part of the squad which reached the final in 2024. Though he did not get to play in any of the matches, that was crucial experience for him.

Rickelton’s Insights on World Cup Intensity

“Not playing in 2024, I was just excited to go to the World Cup, in all honesty. To experience firsthand the level of the cricket that was being played and the intensity it was being played at, as well, was quite an eye-opener for me,” Rickelton told SportsBoom.co.za.

“I think that's the big thing in this World Cup, getting your intensity high, extremely high, as it does ramp up as the tournament goes on, and look to remain calm in those crunch moments and in those pressure moments because they do come in World Cup cricket." 

“Just watching the guys how they went about it in America (2024) gave me a strong sense of what it is and what it is about. I try to shape my game into fitting those intense moments, into those high-pressure decision-making processes as well, and keep it simple and give myself the best chance of implementing it.”

The Proteas are next in action in Ahmedabad on Saturday against New Zealand.

@Michael_Sherman

IOL Sport