Proteas look to shed chokers tag

The tag of chokers is not going to let this South African team lose focus of their goal. “This is a different team, a different management, reports HT Correspondent.

The tag of chokers is not going to let this South African team lose focus of their goal. “This is a different team, a different management. We've handled pressure very well in the past, and hopefully we can do it in the latter stages of the tournament here as well,” Mark Boucher, who has been part of the South African setup for a while now, said. “There is a different feeling with this team.”

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South Africa's opponents, Pakistan, have earned their success in this tournament through their varied bowling attack.

Umar Gul has led the pace attack while all the spinners have come good. Boucher, though, did not seem worried about fronting up to Pakistan's attack.

“We back our players to do the right things at the right time more than most other teams do,” Boucher said. “If the ball moves for them, it will move for us too. Gul is a very good bowler at the death and will probably move the ball too, but we are not too worried about that.”

Boucher credited Jeremy Snape, who has been working with the South African team as a mental conditioning coach, for the belief within the team. “No one in our side is arrogant enough to think that they know too much. He has added a lot of value to our side and so has the rest of the coaching staff. I'm sure he has got more up his sleeve to help us.”