It is a race against time for South Africa skipper Temba Bavuma ahead of his team’s ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 semifinal against Australia at the Eden Gardens, in Kolkata. After suffering a hamstring niggle in South Africa’s final league game at the same venue, Bavuma today in the pre-match press conference revealed that is still not 100 per cent fit and a decision on his availability will be taken later in the day.
“Physically I feel alright,” said Bavuma adding, “Obviously not 100%. So this day becomes important in terms of decisions about tomorrow. I’m quite confident, but I mean, it’s not a unilateral decision that will be made. In a state of mind, a bit nervous of the game.”
On Tuesday, Bavuma, under the watchful eyes of head coach Rob Walter, physio Sizwe Hadebe and strength and conditioning coach Runeshan Moodley, underwent fitness drills and then had a 30-minute long batting session as well and it did not look like any major discomfort.
Follow all the action from the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 including the World Cup schedule, World Cup 2023 results, and ICC Cricket World Cup points table. Players are vying to top the World Cup 2023 Most Runs and World Cup 2023 Most Wickets charts.
However, on Wednesday, in the optional training session, he was out in the park running around the ground before proceeding for further fitness drills focussed mainly on lower body stretches. With the right thigh still strapped up, Bavuma spent a good 20-25 minutes before heading out.
Most of the South African players did not turn up for the optional session with only Andile Phehlukayo and Rassie Van Der Dussen opting to train for a brief while. The South African practice session was wrapped in under two hours.
On being prodded further on his fitness, Bavuma said that his focus currently is on rehab for a day before the game.
“I think it’s just using the rest day to continue with rehab today on the field doing some fielding stuff. Yeah, I can’t tell you medically, but I think for me from a feeling point of view, that’s what I can attest to. It’s an important day and I will use it as best as I can to make sure that I’m close to my best from a physical point of view.”
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Bavuma came into the tournament as one of South Africa’s most in-form players, averaging over 70 in the last year before World Cup 2023 started, but he has failed to replicate the same form in the tournament scoring only 195 runs in seven matches at 20.71, leading to debate over his place in the playing XI.
Bavuma had to miss a couple of South Africa games earlier in the tournament owing to illness and his replacement Reeza Hendricks made the most of the opportunity scoring a fluent 85 against England and then adding 12 runs against Bangladesh.
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