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‘Nobody said we’d be in semi’: Proteas star snubs history, says unit on mission ‘to do something no men’s team has done’
While it has been more of a combined effort from the entire unit, but it is the batters in particular who have led the Proteas charge.
South Africa have been enjoying rich form in the ongoing men's ODI World Cup and will look to carry forward the momentum when they meet Australia in the second semifinal, which will be played at the Eden Gardens, Kolkata on Thursday. While it has been more of a combined effort from the entire unit, but it is the batters in particular who have led the Proteas charge.
The team started the campaign with a gigantic 428/5 against Sri Lanka and have comfortably breached the 300-mark on most occasions. Despite the absence of Anrich Nortje, the pacers have complimented the batters, projecting them as one of the top contenders for the silverware.
Despite the imperious run, the Proteas have a history of choking at the big stage. However, star South Africa spinner Tabraiz Shamsi feels the past record won't matter, showing faith in his peers, who he says are on a mission to do something, which no Proteas unit has ever achieved.
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"That doesn’t matter one bit, we’re a different group of players. Before we got to the World Cup, nobody said that we’d be in the semi-final and here we are. We’re just excited for the opportunity. Instead of it being restricting to the guys, I think it’s going to make the guys be even more free flowing than they have been because we’re aiming to do something that no men’s team from our country has been able to do,” Shamsi was quoted as saying in a report by iol.co.za, a South African news portal.
Shamsi is confident about him and his teammates doing well in the semifinal and moving further in the tournament.
"I have a lot of confidence in my teammates, the management and myself as well. That’s the reason why I’ve always been vocal about it. Maybe people from the outside haven’t been able to see or didn’t want to see the quality that we have within the group. We have just gone on quietly doing our work because we do believe that we can do it,” the spinner added.
South Africa have met Australia earlier in the tournament and defeated them by 134 runs. The Proteas had then piled a stiff 311/7 batting first and skittled Australia for 177 in 40.5 overs.
