South Africa have a challenging opening Champions Trophy match against Afghanistan in Karachi on Friday (today) in conditions that should suit their opposition.
Afghanistan borders Pakistan so the playing conditions in the countries are nearly identical. For Afghanistan, in terms of acclimatising to the surfaces and conditions, it's as good as a home tournament.
But the Proteas are confident of putting up a stellar show in the crucial game. "Our batsmen are quite happy with the conditions," left-arm orthodox Keshav Maharaj told the media on Wednesday.
"They understand that it is not somewhere where you rock up and just score runs. When wickets are in your favour, you train harder [because] you want to make the most of the opportunity."
Bowling attack
South Africa's opening bowlers pick themselves. Kagiso Rabada and Marco Jansen are head and shoulders above any fit fast bowlers in the country at the moment.
Lungi Ngidi, who has recently recovered from a few niggles, has been struggling to find form since returning. He has picked up only one wicket in his last three one-day international matches.
"I think, all things being fair to him, he's taking steps in the right direction," said Proteas bowling coach Anton Roux about the tall quick. "He is bowling with good intensity and his speeds are right up there. If he makes the playing XI, I see him playing a role with the new ball and trying to get us some wickets upfront. His ability to take pace off the ball in the death is going to be crucial for us as well."
South Africa's form has been less than stellar heading into the Champions Trophy. They've lost their last six ODIs while conceding more than 300 runs in each of their last four matches.
"Everyone wants to see runs on the board, and the prevailing conditions test your skills as a bowler," said Maharaj. "I'll always be biased towards bowlers and want wickets where only 250 is scored because that gives us more of a chance. But that gives us more of an opportunity to see the class in our bowling lineups, from where we stand up and defend these scores.
"It may seem high in the context of cricket, but 320 is par these days when batting first and guys are chasing it down in 45 overs."
Meanwhile, Afghanistan skipper Hashmatullah Shahidi on Thursday said calls from other nations for a boycott of their matches because of the treatment of women by the ruling Taliban did not effect his team.
Last month South Africa Sports Minister Gayton McKenzie backed demands from British politicians for a playing boycott of Afghanistan.
The England and Wales Cricket Board resisted the demand to boycott their Champions Trophy group game, but said they would not host Afghanistan in a bilateral series.
Shahidi said he was unperturbed. "We only control things inside the ground, that's our job," Shahidi said in a press conference in Karachi on Thursday. "The other things cannot put us under pressure."
"The whole world knows that we are playing well, especially in the last three years so we are focused on our play and here also we do the control things," Shahidi said.
They shocked three former champions -- England, Pakistan and Sri Lanka -- at the 2023 one-day World Cup in India. They were the losing semi-finalists in the Twenty20 World Cup last year, held in the United States and the West Indies.
Shahidi said his team was not overawed by South Africa.
"We have recently beaten South Africa in Sharjah so we have that confidence with us and we are not under any pressure," said Shahidi of his team's 2-1 win last year.
Afghanistan skipper vowed his team wants to win the Trophy.
COMMENTS
Comments are moderated and generally will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive.
For more information, please see our Comments FAQ