Captain Temba Bavuma says the Proteas will not change their approach for Wednesday’s Champions Trophy semi-final against New Zealand despite the team’s poor record in knockout matches.

South Africa have a history of coming up short on the global stage, losing their 2023 ODI World Cup semi-final to Australia and the T20 World Cup final to India last year.

That continued a long trend of disappointing results at major tournaments, but Bavuma is keen not to dwell on the past.

“We will approach the semi-final as we normally would,” said Bavuma, whose team topped Group B after big wins over England and Afghanistan, and a washout against Australia.

“It’s just another game for us, yes it’s important but we definitely won’t be blowing it out of proportion that it’s a semi-final.”

Bavuma is well aware of the challenges posed by New Zealand, who beat hosts Pakistan and Bangladesh before losing to India in Group A.

“Obviously we want to play our best cricket come tomorrow. We understand New Zealand will come with certain challenges and we will have to prepare accordingly,” said Bavuma, who played down the Kiwis’ 44-run defeat by India in Dubai on Sunday.

“They have lost to India, who are a strong team especially in Dubai,” said Bavuma. “But I don’t think New Zealand will be down on any type of confidence. They have won most of their matches, so from the confidence point of view they won’t be lacking.”

New Zealand beat a depleted South Africa in Lahore by six wickets last month in a Tri-Series match ahead of the Champions Trophy.

“I think that game gave us a look at the New Zealand team,” said Bavuma. “They will not be different from that match but we are different and strong.”

“I think New Zealand have a formidable bowling attack, quite a disciplined attack, they do not give much to the batters so we have to work hard,” he added. “But we are also confident of our bowling attack, so it will be a good show on offer by the two bowling attacks.”

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Bavuma said he and opener Tony de Zorzi – who both missed South Africa’s last game against England on health grounds – have recovered.

Aiden Markram, who injured a hamstring early in the match against England, passed his fitness test on Tuesday and is available for selection.

ALSO: Linde to join Proteas in Pakistan

The winners of Wednesday’s second semi-final will meet India for the title in Dubai on Sunday. India beat Australia by four wickets on Tuesday to reach the final.

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Photo: Matthew Lewis/ICC via Getty Images

Proteas captain Temba Bavuma looks ahead to Wednesday’s Champions Trophy semi-final against New Zealand in Lahore.

Proteas captain Temba Bavuma says his side will not be taking world champions Australia lightly despite a depleted bowling attack.

The two former Champions Trophy winners meet for the first time in the event’s history in Rawalpindi on Tuesday, having each won their first games in Group B.

Australia, missing their pace trio of Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood and Mitchell Starc, chased down a stiff 352-run target against England in Lahore on Saturday.

It was the highest-ever chase in the event’s history started in 1998.

Bavuma hailed Australia’s penchant for ICC events.

“I mean any Australian outfit that comes together for an ICC event is always one that you don’t take lightly,” said Bavuma in a press conference.

Australia have won the Champions Trophy twice while they won the ODI World Cup for the sixth time in India two years ago. In addition they also won the T20 World Cup in 2021.

“They don’t have their mainstay bowling attack but I think their batters may be doing a little bit more than what they’re accustomed to.”

England piled up 351-8, a new tournament record of highest total, before Josh Inglis hit an unbeaten maiden hundred to seal the five-wicket win.

Bavuma hopes his own batsmen will take advantage of Australia’s inexperienced bowling.

“Probably within the bowling there’s opportunities and I think if that presents itself on the day we’ll definitely be looking to make use of that opportunity,” he said.

The Proteas blunted the famed Afghanistan spin attack, taking 59 runs off world’s best Rashid Khan in 10 wicketless overs.

Ryan Rickelton posted a maiden ODI hundred while Bavuma (58), Aiden Markram (52*) and Rassie van der Dussen (52) contributed in a strong 315-6 in Karachi.

They then restricted Afghanistan to 208 for a win in Group B.

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Bavuma said Heinrich Klaasen was still recovering from a sore elbow that forced him to miss the first match.

“We still have to assess his fitness. Mainly he is batting and I guess him and the medical team they’ll make a decision accordingly.”

Bavuma reckoned South Africa have a good chance to break the ICC event jinx, having not won any title since winning the Champions Trophy in 1998, then called the ICC Knock-Out tournament.

WATCH: When Proteas won an ICC tournament

“Yeah, we’re quite bullish about our chances. I think – as much as in the Tri-Series, we didn’t have all our guys, it still was an opportunity for us to get info about conditions,” said Bavuma.

South Africa lost both their matches in the Tri-Series that preceded the Champions Trophy, with seven of their top players missing.

“Fortunately, the guys who came in, they’ve come in on the back of some good cricket back home. Confidence is good and we’re quite optimistic about our chances.”

Pakistan, India, Bangladesh and New Zealand are in Group A. The top two teams from each Group will qualify for the semi-finals.

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Photo: Chris Hyde/ICC via Getty Images

Proteas captain Temba Bavuma on going into the Champions Trophy on the back of six consecutive ODI defeats, Lungi Ngidi’s struggles, and the need for more 50-over domestic cricket.

Proteas captain Temba Bavuma was well on track for a century against Pakistan in Karachi until this happened.

Proteas captain Temba Bavuma looks ahead to the ODI Tri-Series, involving Pakistan and New Zealand, and the Champions Trophy.

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Proteas captain Temba Bavuma talks to the media after their 10-wicket win against Pakistan at Newlands that sealed the series 2-0.

 

Pakistan were reeling in response to a relentless Proteas batting performance on the second day of the second Test against Pakistan at Newlands.

Pakistan were 64-3 at the close after double centurion Ryan Rickelton led South Africa to a first-innings total of 615.

Kagiso Rabada struck twice and Marco Jansen once when Pakistan started their innings. The tourists were effectively four down because opening batsman Saim Ayub was ruled out of the match with a broken right ankle.

Babar Azam, forced to open the batting in Ayub’s absence, was 31* at the close with his side still 551 runs behind.

Left-handed opening batsman Rickelton made a chanceless 259, South Africa’s joint seventh highest Test score, before he was seventh man out with the total on 557.

Proteas captain Temba Bavuma opted to keep Pakistan in the field until the last man, 18-year-old debutant Kwena Maphaka, was out 40 minutes after tea.

By then, South Africa had added 299 runs to their overnight 316-4, scoring at almost five runs an over.

HIGHLIGHTS: Proteas vs Pakistan (2nd Test, Day 2)

Resuming on 176, Rickelton was content to play the anchor role while Kyle Verreynne hit 100 off 147 balls in a sixth-wicket partnership of 148 off 222 deliveries.

Verreynne holed out to deep midwicket after an innings which included five sixes as well as nine fours, but Rickelton continued to bat flawlessly while Jansen thrashed a 42-ball half-century.

A rapid seventh-wicket stand of 86 was ended when Rickelton was caught at mid-on going for a big hit after batting for 607 minutes. He faced 343 balls and hit 29 fours and three sixes.

Jansen was out for 62 off 54 balls, but Keshav Maharaj hit 40 off 35 deliveries as the bowlers continued to take a pounding.

South Africa’s innings ended when Maphaka was bowled second ball for nought to become the 100th Test wicket for Mohammad Abbas.

At 18 years 270 days, Maphaka became South Africa’s youngest Test player when the match started on Friday.

Abbas took 3-94, while wicketkeeper Mohammad Rizwan held six catches in the South African innings.

Pakistan captain Shan Masood was caught at first slip off Rabada for two in the first over of his team’s reply.

Kamran Ghulam was bowled by Jansen for 12 and Saud Shakeel was out for nought, providing a second catch for David Bedingham at first slip off Rabada.

Pakistan were floundering at 20-3, before Babar and Rizwan put on an unbeaten 44 for the fourth wicket as the day’s play ended.

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Photo: Ashley Vlotman/Gallo Images

Ryan Rickelton and captain Temba Bavuma starred for the Proteas on the opening day of the Newlands Test.

Photo: Ashley Vlotman/Gallo Images

Ryan Rickelton and Temba Bavuma hit centuries to bat South Africa into a strong position on the first day of the second Test against Pakistan at Newlands.

The Proteas were 316-4 at the close of play.

Rickelton (176*) and captain Bavuma (106) put on 235 for the fourth wicket after the pair came together with the total on 72-3.

At that stage South Africa were in danger of wasting the advantage of winning the toss on a good batting pitch.

But Rickelton and Bavuma were seldom troubled as they posted a 50 partnership off 66 balls and scored consistently at better than four runs an over throughout their stand.

It was the left-handed Rickelton’s second Test century in three matches, following a shaky start to his Test career in which he had failed to register a half-century in his first 12 innings. He was in commanding form, striking 21 fours and a six off 232 balls.

Bavuma recorded the fourth Test hundred of a career in which he has made 24 half-centuries. He was out 15 minutes before the close, caught behind off occasional off-spinner Salman Agha. He hit nine fours and two sixes in a 179-ball innings.

HIGHLIGHTS: Proteas vs Pakistan (2nd Test, Day 1)

Despite taking three wickets before lunch, it was a lacklustre performance by Pakistan, who only managed to bowl 80 overs in six-and-a-half hours and seldom looked threatening.

Pakistan opening batsman Saim Ayub suffered an ankle injury when he fell awkwardly in the outfield in the seventh over of the day. He was taken to the dressing room on a mobile stretcher and did not return to the field.

Pakistan’s hopes rose when Aiden Markram was caught behind off Khurram Shahzad for 17 after he and Rickelton put on 61 for the first wicket.

Wiaan Mulder (five) and Tristan Stubbs (nought) followed in quick succession shortly before lunch, caught behind off Mohammad Abbas and Agha respectively.

But the rest of the day belonged to South Africa.

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Photo: Ashley Vlotman/Gallo Images