Lungi Ngidi believes playing the 2027 ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup on home soil could provide South Africa with the extra push they need when the pressure intensifies in the latter stages of the tournament.
The Proteas are now one year away from a World Cup co-hosted by South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia, and for Ngidi, the circumstances surrounding this tournament feel different.
South Africa have finally removed one of the biggest burdens that followed previous generations after winning the World Test Championship, and Ngidi believes that success can provide belief heading towards another opportunity for ICC silverware.
“I think the most important thing is to see that we’ve been able to win an ICC trophy, and I guess that was always the monkey on our shoulder,” Ngidi said.
“So yeah, hosting it now at home with Zimbabwe and Namibia, I think it’s the perfect platform to be able to achieve another great achievement in terms of getting that 50-over World Cup.
“There’s no pressure in terms of having not won an ICC trophy, so you can all relax about that.”
But it is the prospect of playing in front of South African supporters that Ngidi believes could become particularly significant.
“And then, yeah, I guess what better platform is it than to be playing at home in front of the South African crowd?
“Maybe, you know, I’ve been thinking that’s maybe just the little push we need over the line when it gets to those semifinals since we’ve had such a tough time there.
“But yeah, very exciting times to be playing cricket in South Africa, especially at a World Cup.”
Home conditions could provide an advantage
South Africa’s fixture list will take them around the country, with four of their five initial matches scheduled for coastal venues.
The Proteas start against New Zealand at Newlands before travelling to Paarl, Gqeberha and Durban. Their fifth match, against Sri Lanka, will be played at the Wanderers.
For Ngidi, playing across different South African conditions is something the players should be comfortable with.
“I think the beauty of hosting as well is that I don’t have to overthink it.
“I mean, I’ve grown up for pretty much my whole life in South Africa and playing cricket all over South Africa, which is beautiful. In terms of my mindset, I don’t have to overthink. I’ve played at Newlands, played at Gqeberha, played everywhere.”
Knowing the conditions, however, does not guarantee success.
Ngidi believes one of the challenges will be making sure South Africa do not allow the occasion or their familiarity with the grounds to distract them from what is happening in front of them.
“I think the most important thing is to stay calm now and compose your emotions and not get too excited at the fact that you know probably more than the opposition.
“Still play what’s in front of you.
“But yeah, just keeping calm, but I’m quietly happy that I know exactly what to do, where to do it, especially around the country.”
Could spin play a bigger role on the coast?
The concentration of matches at coastal venues has already created an interesting discussion around what conditions could look like during the tournament.
Ngidi himself highlighted the possibility of spin becoming influential in certain coastal matches when discussing fixtures he is interested in watching.
“Especially in our group, I think England against Bangladesh or Sri Lanka, if they’re on the coast, you know, where you could probably find spinning conditions that would make for an interesting game.
“Taking the subcontinent team Highveld, that could make for an interesting game.”
For South Africa, understanding those differences could become an important part of their preparation.
Ngidi believes the current period provides an opportunity to gather information about how grounds are behaving at roughly the same time of year in which the World Cup will eventually be played.
“Just seeing their combinations, who could probably fill in if someone is not performing well. And then just to obviously also gauge again what conditions are currently doing at this time of the year, as it will probably be around this time of the year.
“So you want to see what conditions are doing and just keeping mental notes of that.
“I think that’s important.”
However, Ngidi believes it is still too early for South Africa to begin building towards the tournament at full intensity.
“Once we start getting closer to December, January, that’s when you start really looking to shift gears.
“It’s still a long way out.”
Competition for World Cup places beginning
While the World Cup itself remains a year away, competition for places in South Africa’s squad has already started.
Ngidi believes players on the fringes of the setup will know that opportunities to force themselves into the selectors’ thinking are becoming increasingly important.
“Look, I think there’s a lot of players that are obviously trying to get their names in the hat for that squad, right? So you’ve got to put your best foot forward now.
“You don’t have much time in terms of if you’re really looking to push for selection.”
At the same time, he cautioned against players attempting to reach their peak too early.
“You’re obviously a long way out and you don’t want to peak too soon.
“But I think you’ll see over the months as we play more and more cricket, you’ll see the sort of performances probably come together and then next year you’ll see a definite ramp up.
“That’s always how it is. You ramp up before you get into a tournament.
“You want to start off on the right note, so your intensity and your mindset has got to be at the right level. But for now, I think you’ll probably see guys trying to obviously put their hands up for selection.”
‘Probably in our best spot right now’
Ngidi also believes the Proteas are currently in a particularly strong space under head coach Shukri Conrad and captain Temba Bavuma.
He credits Conrad with giving players the freedom to express themselves and Bavuma with creating an environment in which responsibility is placed on the senior members of the group.
“I think Shukri’s given us freedom in terms of being able to play the game the way we want to play it.
“Temba has obviously backed that up as a captain. Temba very big on responsibility, so he’ll give his senior players the responsibility to lead from the front. Himself as a captain, he leads by example.”
Ngidi pointed towards Bavuma playing through injury during the World Test Championship final as an example of the standards set by the Proteas captain.
“Even at the WTC, going back out there with a torn hamstring to make sure that we get over the line.
“So that’s the type of character he is. And I think he expects nothing less from the rest of us.
“I think together as a unit, he built a team that is strong-willed, but also you have the freedom to be yourself and express yourself.
“That’s obviously yielded some good results.”
Asked whether the team is now in a better position than previously, Ngidi was clear.
“I think you can see that it is, yeah.
“Based on the results. Just the way the guys are going about it, there’s a lot more consistency. There’s a lot more guys that are all of a sudden showing up and ramping up their performances.
“So, yeah. I would probably say we’re probably in our best spot right now.”
Ngidi progressing in injury recovery
Ngidi is currently working his own way back to action and was reluctant to put a timeframe on his return.
“You’d have to ask the medical team. I’m not allowed to disclose anything.
“But all I can tell you is so far, so good.”
He did, however, provide one encouraging update.
“I can tell you that I’m back running already, so that’s about as much as I can let you know.”
With a year remaining before the World Cup, South Africa have plenty still to determine.
Players will move in and out of contention. Conditions will be studied. Combinations will be tested.
But after finally experiencing the feeling of lifting an ICC trophy, Ngidi believes this Proteas group can approach a home World Cup carrying something previous South African teams did not have: proof that they can get over the line.
And this time, they will have a home crowd behind them.
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