It’s no secret that Hashim Amla is one of the most shrewd tacticians in South African cricket, and his considerable expertise as a batting coach for MI Cape Town has seen the side make a strong start to the SA20.
MI Cape Town find themselves in second on the log after five matches with 14 points, two behind Paarl Royals.
Amla who scored 18,622 runs for South Africa in all three formats combined including 55 centuries, is widely regarded as one of the most naturally-gifted batsmen the Proteas have ever produced.
The 41-year-old now is lending some considerable tactical acumen for the Cape outfit.
Team outlook
"One of the key lessons we’ve learned is the importance of strategic batting. It’s about ensuring the entire batting unit contributes, rather than relying on a single player to carry the team,” told SportsBoom.com.
“These strategies are what we’re staying true to as we aim for success.”
As for the makeup of the team which has not been tinkered too much in the first five games of the season, Amla said more players from the squad could get a run as the competition heads towards the playoffs next month.
"It’s still early in the season, and with games coming thick and fast, we need to stick to our best XI. However, no competition is won with just 11 players. As we approach the playoffs, everyone in the squad will likely get a chance to contribute.”
One player that grabs the headlines is Dewald Brevis. At 21, Brevis is a ‘veteran’ of 74 T20 matches, though he has played just the two games at senior international level four South Africa.
Though Brevis is believed to be best suited to the top-order, Amla has explained why he has moved the prodigy down the batting lineup.
"Brevis is an immensely talented player, but he’s part of a unit. The team’s needs always take precedence.
“We’ve adopted a strategic approach, leveraging left-and-right-hand combinations to create match-ups and maximise shorter boundaries. So far, it’s worked well for us."