Herschelle Gibbs wants Proteas to drop Temba Bavuma for the semi-final

Chandra Moulee Das

South Africa will take on Afghanistan in their final group-stage fixture before facing Australia in the semi-finals of the tournament.

In a surprising statement, former Proteas cricketer Herschelle Gibbs has proposed that South Africa should consider dropping skipper Temba Bavuma for their upcoming semi-final clash against Australia in the 2023 ODI World Cup. South Africa secured their spot in the semi-finals, becoming the second team after India to do so in the tournament.

The initial setback for South Africa occurred against the Netherlands in Dharamsala, followed by a second defeat to India at Eden Gardens.

Notably, Temba Bavuma averages a shade above 20 in the ongoing Cricket World Cup. His current frailties with the bat have been overshadowed by the strength of the rest of the batting order. Despite the top half of the Proteas’ batting order being in formidable form, they faltered in their last match against India, getting dismissed for a mere 83 runs.

Additionally, Bavuma also sustained a hamstring injury during their final league match against Afghanistan in Ahmedabad. In the latest update, a decision will be taken if he needs to go for scans.

South Africa has been a dominant force in the ODI World Cup

Both of South Africa’s losses in the ODI World Cup came while chasing, but the team remains confident, viewing it as a manageable concern as they approach the semi-final showdown with Australia.

Before facing Australia in the semi-finals, South Africa will encounter Afghanistan in their final group-stage fixture. Afghanistan still holds slim hopes of making it to the semi-finals, having nearly claimed a major victory against five-time champions Australia with Glenn Maxwell staging a remarkable solo rescue mission.

South Africa has been a dominant force throughout the tournament with Quinton de Kock emerging as a pivotal player, notching up four centuries and leading as the highest run-scorer. The team has set various records, including the most sixes in a World Cup, eight team hundreds and two double-century partnerships. Their remarkable performance is highlighted by achieving four scores exceeding 350 in the tournament thus far.

ALSO READ: Ashwin reveals how he escaped being timed out against Australia