Proteas look to console Kagiso Rabada after horrific last over: 'We'll get our arms around him'

The Proteas will not leave Kagiso Rabada to the wolves and will place “our arms around him” after the fast bowler’s horrific final over against Afghanistan that forced the ICC T20 World Cup clash into a double Super Over. 

Rabada has long been the spearhead of the Proteas attack, and is often the team’s go-to-man in the crunch moments. 

It was therefore no surprise when he limbered up to bowl the final over of the match needing to defend 13 runs off the final six balls. 

Rabada thought he had done the job when last man Noor Ahmad was caught at cover off the first delivery of the over, but instead of celebrating they heard the siren signalling a no-ball. 

The 30-year-old had committed the cardinal death bowling sin by over-stepping, which offered up Noor Ahmad a free-hit. The next ball was a wide and the target was now 11 runs with six balls still remaining. 

The next ball was a dot before Noor Ahmad launched the second legal delivery for six over mid-wicket. 

What followed was pure madness with Rabada overstepping again on the fourth delivery, which was clubbed into the deep for two, that left Afghanistan requiring two runs off the last three balls. 

It was virtually unbelievable to watch one of the greatest fast bowlers of our generation suffer a meltdown of such epic proportions. 

But fortunately for Rabada and the Proteas, Afghanistan pushed for a second run off the free hit, but were left millimetres short when Rabada collected the throw in to run out Fazalhaq Farooqi at the non-strikers end to tie up the game. 

Proteas opener Ryan Rickelton stated that they will give Rabada the space to absorb everything that transpired before offering him the support he needs.

“KG, we'll give him a bit of time, but we'll get our arms around him,” Rickelton said. “We'll probably get a couple of drinks down him later. 

“And yeah, he's one of us through thick and thin, so he's always going to be there.”

Left-arm spinner Keshav Maharaj, who delivered the match-winning second Super Over, echoed Rickelton’s stance, and expects Rabada to bounce back sooner rather than later.

“He's a world-class performer. Unfortunately, a fast bowler has to run 30 metres so sometimes you do bowl a no-ball,” Maharaj said.

“His executions were really good in that over. KG's a strong character. He's been bowling well in the nets and it's only a matter of time before you get a man-of-the-match performance from him."