South Africa celebrates its first final, but staying on top will require an overhaul of junior cricket

For the first time ever, South Africa has reached the final of the ICC Men's T20 World Cupwhich will be played in Barbados on Saturday. T20 (Twenty20) cricket is a shortened version of one-day cricket and has revolutionized the sport over the past 20 years. But, warns cricket scholar Sharhidd Taliep, if the country wants to continue to reach the finals, it will have to change the T20 format that is played by young cricketers. Currently, they play the same version of T20 as competitive adult cricketers and this is not good for developing the all-round skills required.

What do you think of the World Cup so far?

South Africa has reached a monumental milestone in… reaches their first World Cup final in over 30 years in the T20 or one-day format. The country's T20 rankings have never been good in fifth place in the world as it is arranged third in one-day international competitions.

Playing as underdogs in this final could take some pressure off them and I wouldn't be surprised if South Africa win this World Cup. What is certain is that millions of young people around the world will enjoy and learn from the final, and visualize themselves as players.

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Read more: Finding answers to what makes or breaks South Africa's young cricketers

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And that is where I have a warning. Young, developing cricketers in South Africa play the same version of the T20 game as that played by competitive adult cricketers. There is a lack of policy or enforced rules to regulate these playing conditions. It is left to individual clubs and schools. Because of the pressure to win, holistic cricket development often does not take place. This can lead to a lack of all-round skills and can also result in burnout, injury or fatigue.

Before you explain why, can you tell us what T20 cricket is?

T20 limits cricket innings to a maximum of 20 overs per team. Bowlers are limited to a maximum of four overs. This emphasizes fast scoring and aggressive play, often resulting in dynamic and fast-paced matches. The game was completed within three hours. One-day matches, on the other hand, involve 50 overs per team and last seven hours, promoting a balance between strategy and endurance. Bowlers are allowed a maximum of 10 overs each.

T20 cricket was officially introduced in 2003 by the England and Wales Cricket Board to revive professional county cricket. Visitor numbers and revenues fell and cricket was often seen as an outdated sport for the elite. T20 is fast paced and exciting watching. The matches are short enough to be played on weekdays, which attracts more fans.

The T20 format sees many boundaries being crossed, prizes for fans and live entertainment. It became financially lucrative and has revolutionized cricket. A typical success story is the introduction of the Indian Premier League T20 competition. The league recruits the best international players and has brand value estimated for 10 billion dollars.

The T20 World Cup was introduced in 2007, with South Africa hosting the first event. The success of the tournament led to organisers holding it more often than once every four years, like the One-Day Cricket World Cup. Since 2007, there have been nine T20 World Cups.

South Africa's record in World Cups has been dismal so far. The birth of a local annual T20 competition the SA20 has catapulted ratings and attendance of cricket. It has helped revive a dying sport. But does that mean it is a good format for everyone?

The simple answer is no. T20 cricket makes sense for adults, who are already specialised in their playing positions. It was never intended for junior cricket and I believe that if the format is not adapted for juniors, it will hamper the development of cricket. Research suggests that early diversification, rather than specialization, is crucial for youth sport development.

What are your concerns about the development of youth T20 cricket?

Young people benefit from participating in various sporting activities, which help them become well-rounded, holistic athletes. This theory suggests That early specialization youth programmes can lead to excellent junior performances but not to senior performances. At youth level cricket should be designed to attract more people to play and learn a range of skills rather than specialising in one aspect of the game.

In South Africa, mini cricket is aimed at children aged nine and under and is geared towards this inclusive participation. But after that, the rules are not standardised across the country. So many schools and clubs follow the adult T20 format for children over the age of nine.

This poses challenges for developing all-round, highly skilled cricketers who can excel in T20. Here’s why:

• In the T20 format, middle and lower order batters often don’t get a chance to bat as most of the balls are faced by the top order batters. When they do get a chance to bat, there are few balls left in the innings and they often have to play risky shots to score maximum runs, at the risk of losing their wicket.

• Wicketkeepers are not rotated, so more young players do not get the chance to test their wicketkeeping skills. And wicketkeepers don't get a chance to improve their bowling skills.

• The best bowlers bowl the allotted four overs and so fewer players get to develop and test their bowling skills.

Focusing on the outcome of matches and not the process of creating cricketers leads to a culture of intense pressure on young players. This can lead to burnout, loss of motivation and lack of fun. It can drive young players away from the sport.

The problem can be summed up in a conversation I had with a parent of an under-13 A-level cricketer. The parent described the lack of enthusiasm and dismay their child expressed because the child was getting fewer than thirty bowling turns in two years of matches.

Add to this the relative age effect: Players born in the first quarter of the year tend to dominate because they are bigger and stronger than players born in the last quarter. T20 rules need to be adapted to the needs of young players.

What are the solutions?

England, Australia And New Zealand have amended the rules for young cricketers. These adjustments include fewer players per team, adjusting the field length for each age group and limiting the number of balls a batter can face or a maximum score a batter can achieve. Bowlers and wicketkeepers alternate, giving all players the opportunity to test different skills.

This promotes early diversification And inclusivity more people feel more comfortable playing the game. It is not surprising that more young people are now playing cricket in these countries.

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Research shows that implementing these types of changes in games for young people in various sports can improve participation, suitabilityfun and skill.

Modified versions of cricket should become standard practice in South Africa if the country is to take the sport to new heights and continue to perform as the national team did at this year's T20 World Cup.