CAPE TOWN – Proteas Men’s captain Temba Bavuma says the success of the Proteas’ Women’s team in India has motivated his side to do well in the upcoming ODI series against Pakistan.
The Proteas’ Women’s team arrived back home from the subcontinent last week having beaten India in both the ODI (4-1) and T20I (2-1) series for the first time on foreign soil. It was a hugely significant achievement as India are the current 50-overs and T20 World Cup runners-up.
Furthermore, the Proteas’ Men’s team suffered a humiliating 3-0 Test series whitewash in their last visit to India back in 2019.
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“We have our own experiences of playing in India and we know how tough it is to play in that part of the world,” Bavuma told the media on Tuesday.
“As the Men’s team, we certainly respect the results the women’s team have achieved there. The group has been inspired by the efforts of the women’s team. We’ve not had conversations about it formally, but within our small groups we will definitely be looking to ride that wave and put in good performances for the country.”
The three-match Pakistan ODI series, starting at SuperSport Park on Friday, will be Bavuma’s first assignment as national one-day international captain. The Highveld Lions batsman was installed as the first Black African Proteas’ captain last month when he replaced Quinton de Kock as skipper of both the ODI and T20I teams.
He will have the responsibility of leading the Proteas to both the T20I World Cup in India later this year and the 50-overs World Cup in 2023. The journey therefore begins this week with a side that has not played any ODI’s since whitewashing Australia 3-0 more than a year ago.
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It is definitely a new beginning for the Proteas’ Men’s team and Bavuma is confident that he already has the core group that will accompany him to India in 2023.
“If I look at the ODI squad now, we have 22 players, and that’s a big squad. They can take comfort from the fact that the World Cup squad will be coming from this group,” he said.
“There is an opportunity now and they will know where they can potentially fit in. It is always nice to see new faces and it is important that they keep putting in these performances. Sometimes it’s almost easy to get into the national team, but the hard part is to keep putting in these performances.”
Proteas ODI squad: Temba Bavuma (c), Quinton de Kock (wk), Beuran Hendricks, Heinrich Klaasen, Janneman Malan, Keshav Maharaj, Aiden Markram, David Miller, Lungi Ngidi, Anrich Nortje, Andile Phehlukwayo, Kagiso Rabada, Tabraiz Shamsi, Jon-Jon Smuts, Rassie van der Dussen, Junior Dala, Lutho Sipamla, Wiaan Mulder, Sisanda Magala, Kyle Verreynne, Daryn Dupavillon, Lizaad Williams.
Fixtures
1st ODI, 2nd April
Proteas v Pakistan, Centurion, 10am
2nd ODI, 4th April
Proteas v Pakistan, Wanderers, 10am
3rd ODI, 7th April
Proteas v Pakistan, Centurion, 10am
IOL Sport