South Africa’s captain, Temba Bavuma, labeled the ongoing tri-nation ODI series against Pakistan and New Zealand as a prime opportunity for young players to make their mark. Speaking at a press conference on Sunday at the newly renovated Gaddafi Stadium, Bavuma discussed the challenge of facing an in-form New Zealand team, especially without several of their key players.
The South African captain emphasized that the series is a valuable chance for players to adapt to the conditions in Pakistan, ahead of the ICC Men’s Champions Trophy 2025. “This is a wonderful opportunity for a few players who have been performing well in domestic cricket and T20 leagues to prove their worth and show what they can bring to the team,” Bavuma said.
He continued,
“The tri-series will allow us to adjust to playing in Pakistan, gaining insights that we can share with a larger group. It’s also an excellent chance for younger players to get valuable experience for future tours.”
Bavuma also spoke about the limited spin options available for the series, with the opening match between Pakistan and New Zealand seeing eight wickets fall to spinners.
“We’ll see tomorrow if that becomes a challenge. We have Tabraiz Shamsi and Senuran Muthusamy, and if both of them play, we’ll have options in the slow bowling department,” Bavuma noted.
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He added,
“The squad we have is what we have at this point. We didn’t have the luxury of selecting players from back home, so with the spin resources available to us, we’ll have to make the most of it.”
For context, South Africa’s squad for their first match against New Zealand on Monday includes six uncapped players, as key players were involved in the recently concluded SA20.
South Africa’s squad for the tri-nation ODI series against New Zealand:
Batters: Temba Bavuma, Matthew Breetzke
Wicketkeepers: Kyle Verrynne, Meeka-eel Prince
All-rounders: Wiaan Mulder, Jason Smith, Mihlali Mpongwana, Senuran Muthusamy
Bowlers: Junior Dala, Gideon Peters, Eathan Bosch, Lungi Ngidi, Tabraiz Shamsi
