Prenelan Subraen highly praised the Proteas team's bowling performance during the match against Zimbabwe, which ended with South Africa winning by seven wickets in the second T20 International three-match tournament in Windhoek on Saturday.
Subraen believes that the Proteas bowling unit demonstrated the necessary resilience to recover from the disappointing loss to Namibia. South Africa secured a convincing victory over Zimbabwe in Windhoek on Saturday, despite losing to the hosts by 18 runs on Friday, conceding 163/9.
However, against Zimbabwe, the bowlers acted more disciplinedly, restricting the opposition to 144/8 at the Namibia Cricket ground. Subraen, who himself took 2/25, noted that the bowling collective used Friday's setback as an opportunity to analyze weaknesses.
After Saturday's win, he stated: 'We reflected in the dressing room yesterday after the day game, and we also looked for ways to get better, especially in small aspects. I think the bowling unit came out today and they really lit up.'
This response was particularly impressive given Zimbabwe's quick start, reaching 54/1 during the powerplay. Subraen, along with captain Bjorn Fortuin, Duane Jansen, and other bowlers, managed to slow the pace, allowing Zimbabwe to score only 90 runs in the last 14 overs.
When asked about the need for a change in mentality after Friday's loss, Subraen replied that it was not so much a matter of mindset. He emphasized that working with the captain and his leadership relieves much of the pressure on the players, and the captain's ability to analyze the game helps every bowler think properly about each ball.
This performance was another positive sign for the relatively inexperienced Proteas squad, as Jansen, Ethan Bosch, and Kwena Maphaka gained valuable experience during the three-match series. Subraen knows Jansen well, having played with him in the Joburg Super Kings, and was a teammate of Bosch in the Dolphins.
Despite the bowling unit's contribution, Dewald Brevis once again drew attention for his batting. He delivered the decisive blow, securing a comfortable victory for Proteas over Zimbabwe. After scoring 75 runs off 50 balls in Friday's loss, he demolished them with an unbeaten 75 runs off just 32 balls on Saturday, leaving 36 balls remaining in the match.
Subraen reported that the young batsman was disappointed after failing to finish the chase on Friday but quickly turned this disappointment into motivation. He noted that Dewald showed his frustration in the dressing room on Friday but then worked on it and succeeded on Saturday.
For Proteas, the task now is to maintain this momentum. Subraen noted that morale in the dressing room after today's victory is very high, and they plan to use this moment in upcoming matches. Considering the approach of the 2027 World Cup, he views this three-match series as an opportunity for the team to gain valuable experience playing in Namibian conditions.