ICC T20 WORLD CUP 2022

November 5, 2022

Wayne Parnell

Adelaide Oval

South Africa

Pre Match Media Conference

Q. You're unlikely to come up against the same kind of challenge tomorrow as you did against Pakistan. They're just such very different teams. Are you almost happy to get that kind of performance out of the way and get back to sanity as it were?

WAYNE PARNELL: Yeah. I think obviously it's a crucial game for us tomorrow. Having said that, I think especially like T20 cricket teams get closer when it's, like, a short game. So we still have to play well to beat them.

I think obviously they're a quality side. They've shown that they can play good cricket. Hopefully it's only in patches. If we bring our A-game, I reckon we should have enough.

Q. Everything is quite uncertain at this state, you know, who goes where and all that kind of thing. How do you deal with that, not knowing what's going to happen tomorrow?

WAYNE PARNELL: I think it's just about trying to stay in the moment, trying not to focus too far into the future. We have to tackle tomorrow firstly, make sure we win, and then Volvo {Masubelele, team manager} will tell us where we're going to be.

Q. Just personally for you yourself, you've had a pretty solid tournament, and you've come through a lot to get here. How have you managed to do that, to stay in the game for this amount of time and put in the kind of performances that you are doing here?

WAYNE PARNELL: I think probably just having clarity around my role and just trying to perform to the best of my ability.

I think maybe in the past trying to be a different type of player, but now with clarity, captain and coach, they've given me a clear plan and a clear kind of goal to go and execute. I'm just trying to do that to the best of my ability every single game.

Q. The chokers tag has always been hung around the neck of the South African teams so long. Is it time you shrugged that off and probably go ahead and win the tournament?

WAYNE PARNELL: I think that's probably the only way to kind of get rid of it, if you want to kind of call it that. It's always going to be there.

So I think when we get that first trophy, hopefully it will go away. But until then, I think it's always going to be there. It's just something we have to deal with.

Q. About your form, you've really been in good form. How important is it for the other pasemen also to fire? And you all have really gone around your work like a gang. A word on that.

WAYNE PARNELL: I think certainly it's more about the unit than the individual. I think you've seen over the past few games that different guys have put their hands up, and it's about trusting it as well.

I think we have world class bowlers throughout the unit, so it's just about trusting it.

Q. Compared to a few other teams in the group, you appear more sorted because you know that there's no NRR to look at and points to look at. Do you think that that will eventually give you a lot of confidence going into the match because you don't have to think about the other factors around it? How much of a comfortable situation to be in?

WAYNE PARNELL: Yeah, I think it's pretty straightforward. So, again, it's just about going out and just playing good cricket and obviously trying to win the game. It's a pretty simple equation for us.

Q. Just on the team, it's been in the past that South Africa left it too late a lot. Why do you think that is the case mostly in international tournaments, and do you feel it's the best way that we do things this side?

WAYNE PARNELL: That's very difficult question. I think now it's just really simple. If you actually look at it, tomorrow is basically a quarterfinal. Then obviously if we win that, we go to a semifinal. If we win that, we go to the final.

In a way it's actually worked out well where we are under a certain amount of pressure to obviously get through, but I always like to look at it from a positive point of view where it's basically a quarterfinal. Obviously if we win that, then we're into the semis. So it's just about winning it really.

Q. Just on that knock of Temba's, have you chatted to him about what that does for your confidence, especially going into the quarterfinal that you mention? Do you feel that there's something around your batting that you can contribute as well?

WAYNE PARNELL: Yeah, I think I've been pretty disappointed with my batting, if I'm honest. It's not through a lack of trying or working hard in the nets.

At the end of the day, again, it's going to come down to trusting my preparation. I think it's the same thing obviously with Temba. He's been preparing well every single game.

Yes, he obviously hasn't scored the bulk of runs, which he obviously would have liked to have scored. Got some runs the other night and looked in really good touch.

I think it's for every single member of the squad to just trust the preparation. On any particular day we have multiple match winners, and everyone believes that. So it's just about rocking up and trying to do the business.

Q. You've played your first T20 way back in 2009 already and been part of, like, seven ICC tournaments. Can you feel a difference in this game compared to all the other times that you have been around?

WAYNE PARNELL: Absolutely, yes.

Q. What would the difference be?

WAYNE PARNELL: I think the first thing that really stands out is the unity. I think people really enjoying other people's successes. I think also, you know, around just trusting each other. Not really looking at one or two players to put in performances for us.

I think also everyone is hungry to obviously go the distance. So, yeah, that's probably the one thing that really stands out for me.

Q. There's a photo floating around of you guys, the fast bowlers, in a lift in an elevator. Are you guys that close off the field? Does it help when you go guys go on the field in terms of just spending time away from the game, so when you get on, like you say, you trust each other?

WAYNE PARNELL: I think it's certainly something that we've tried to do. Just trying to spend time together. Trying to actually talk about cricket as well. I think that's probably something that has kind of been lost with, like, social media and phones and all of that. After games you generally pick up your phone. You're on WhatsApp. You're on social media.

We actually made -- not really a pact, but it was something we spoke about I think it could have been back in India in June. Just to actually have moments where we just talk about cricket, talk about games that have gone past, what we did well, what we could have done better, and just learning.

I think that's the nice thing as well. You know, all of us are at different stages of our careers. We've played different amounts of games, and it's just about taking on the experience that we've picked up and just trying to help people get better.

I think that's the sort of key thing for me is that there's a genuine want for people to, firstly, do well, but then also for your partner to also do well.

I mean, we saw the game against Bangladesh. Shamsi was in. He got a bag of wickets. Then we went to Perth. Shamsi didn't play. Lungi came in, bowled well, got a bag of wickets. Then we went back to Sydney. Then obviously both of them played.

It's about trusting the selection and then trusting the unit to obviously do it.

Q. In last matches we saw you bring out Ronaldo's new celebration. After dismissing the last matches in India you bring out this. What's the reason behind this?

WAYNE PARNELL: It's the Ronaldo celebration. He has always been one of my favorite footballers and I've obviously followed his career quite closely.

And I think I've kind of taken on some stuff that he has been going through, you know, as a professional athlete and someone that's very competitive and passionate about doing well. And that's something that I've always wanted to do as well is contribute to the team's success.

It's just about having fun as well. I think, you know, we're very lucky to be playing this sport and to be able to do it on this world stage. Obviously, there's no COVID, so we have fans back, and it's just about entertaining everyone.

Q. As looking at the importance of tomorrow's game, so will there be any changes in the 11, or can we expect Miller back into the 11?

WAYNE PARNELL: You'll have to watch, what time do we start, 10:30 tomorrow. You'll have to check the toss at 10:00.