Image: Dane Paterson hit back at critics who questioned his selection for the national team / © Crictoday
In the match between Sri Lanka and South Africa, veteran pacer Dane Paterson silenced his critics with a standout performance. Paterson, who had been questioned by some over his selection for the national team, delivered a match-winning display in the second Test. The 35-year-old took seven wickets, including a five-wicket haul in the first innings, helping South Africa secure a dominant victory.
His key scalps included Sri Lanka’s top batters Dinesh Chandimal and Kusal Mendis. Paterson responded to the doubters on social media, specifically addressing a journalist who had criticized his selection and pointed to his impressive first-class record of 603 wickets from 166 matches. In the post, he said:
Hi to all the haters who doubted my selection. This one is for you. Thanks for all the negative comments about my selection. At the end of the day, it’s not about you. It’s about the team. @PoppingCreaseSA please relook at my first class stats before having a GO at me. Cheers.
His performance was crucial in South Africa’s 2-0 series win over Sri Lanka, which propelled them to the top of the World Test Championship standings. Paterson’s resilience and performance proved that he deserved his place in the squad, despite the initial doubts.