Mumbai, December 23
SA20 Ambassador and South African fast-bowling legend Allan Donald has expressed excitement at the prospect of including Indian players in the SA20 league. When asked which Indian cricketers he would love to see in the competition, Donald unhesitatingly named two of India's biggest stars: Virat Kohli and Jasprit Bumrah.
"Oh my gosh, that's a--where do I start? Where do I start getting a player from there? My goodness me, jeez. If I'm a batter, I'm Virat Kohli all over there. If it's a bowler, 100 percent Bumrah. 100 percent," Donald said enthusiastically during a media interaction organised by SA20.
He vividly described the transformative impact Indian players could have on the SA20 league.
"My goodness me, can you imagine that? Can you actually imagine some Indian players--or if you're allowed to pick one? Oh my, that would be the most special thing. That'll just put it to another level. That'll add another level of how big this tournament can become if you're allowed to. Imagine two--oh, imagine two per team. But we'll keep it there at one. I'll have those two players for me--Kohli and Bumrah. If I have to pick from a batter or a bowler--100 percent sure," he said.
Donald also shared his enthusiasm for several young fast bowlers poised to make their mark. Among those, three South African talents have particularly caught his attention: Eathen Bosch, Codi Yusuf, and Kwena Maphaka.
"There are about three bowlers--South African bowlers--that I'm really looking forward to seeing, and those three guys are Eathen Bosch, from--he's playing for the Pretoria Capitals; Codi Yusuf, who's playing for the Paarl Royals; and young Kwena Maphaka," Donald remarked.
He detailed Bosch's journey, highlighting his perseverance and recent achievements.
"Bosch, probably the more experienced--he's been around for a while. I'm really pleased for him that he's finally got a South African call-up. He's been really on the fringes and has struggled to get in there because of other guys that have been punching the lights out," he said.
Donald also expressed particular excitement about Kwena Maphaka, an 18-year-old whose talent and composure have already impressed many.
"Young Kwena Maphaka, an 18-year-old--you know, I can't--I think the whole of Paarl is very excited that he's here. There's huge excitement about him being in this team. I think we're going to see a lot of him this year," he added.
He elaborated on Maphaka's potential and temperament, predicting a bright future for the young bowler.
"Lots of experiences will be felt by Kwena Maphaka. I think he's such a talent; he is just a freak, you know. So, yeah, he's going to have some good days, and he's going to have some bad days, but he seems to have this head on his shoulders that is just very freakishly calm and not fazed about too many things when it goes badly. He just wants to stay in the fight all the time. So I think he's going to be box office this coming January. I can't wait to see him being very successful, I hope," he concluded.