Home Support Is a Boost, But Runs Will Matter for South Africa

New Delhi, October 26: Former South African cricketer Lance Klusener has highlighted run-scoring consistency as the central factor for his country at the 2027 ODI World Cup, saying home support alone will not be enough.

South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia will jointly host the tournament, which will bring a major cricket event to the region. For South Africa, playing at home presents a chance to turn familiar surroundings into a real competitive edge, while also opening the door to another significant global trophy.

Speaking during the Abu Dhabi T10 League, where he serves as head coach of Arabian Ace, Klusener said that encouragement from home fans can provide a major lift. However, he added that the fundamentals of lifting the World Cup have not changed. Teams must score consistently across the tournament and be capable of chasing demanding targets, rather than depending on one standout performer.

The former international also acknowledged that pressure is an inevitable part of major ICC tournaments, whether a side is playing at home or overseas. What matters, he said, is that the matches are staged in stadiums filled with supporters, something that is central to the experience of a home World Cup.

Klusener believes South Africa will feel expectations from its own fans, but he argued that the team should treat this as a chance rather than a weight. As international matches are played across the stadiums of all three host nations, he sees it as a strong platform for the side to achieve a landmark result.

"We are excited to host this tournament again, and the time has come for South Africa to once again perform brilliantly on the big ICC stage," he said. "We hope to fulfil the dreams of our players and the whole country in their own home. We have done it in rugby, and if we get the same opportunity in cricket at home, it would be the icing on the cake."