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South Africa's captain Temba Bavuma expressed doubt about his fitness for the upcoming World Cup semi-final against Australia, stating that he is not ‘100 percent’ fit. The star openering batter picked up a hamstring injury during the World Cup 2023's league stage match against Afghanistan.
Despite his discomfort, Bavuma participated in an extended training session ahead of the semi-final. He engaged in fitness routines, ran laps around the outfield, and simulated running between the wickets, gradually increasing his speed.
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"Physically I feel alright. Obviously not 100%. So obviously this day becomes important in terms of decision about tomorrow. I'm quite confident, but I mean, it's not a unilateral decision that will be made. In a state of mind, obviously a bit nervous of the game. It will be our first semi-final and as a team. But I think the feeling is no different I guess from any game that we've encountered within the World Cup," Bavuma told reporters.
Bavuma, aged 33, sustained a hamstring injury during South Africa's recent win against Afghanistan and struggled while batting, managing to score 23 runs. He has already been sidelined for two World Cup games due to illness. On Tuesday, Coach Rob Walter remarked that the team wouldn't provide Bavuma with extra protection if his injury doesn't sufficiently heal and affects his performance. So far, Bavuma's batting in the 2023 World Cup hasn't been impressive. His top score in the tournament is just 35 runs across seven innings, averaging 20.71 and striking at 75.12.
Meanwhile, in the nets ahead of the semifinal Bavuma, at certain points, appeared to be in pain, signaling to the team's physio, Sizwe Hadebe, and the strength and conditioning coach, Runeshan Moodley, while bending over. After warming up for around 15 minutes, he proceeded to the nets, initially batting with a single stump before switching to his regular bat. He spent approximately 30 minutes facing the bowlers. Post-practice, Bavuma departed in a private vehicle, likely for a medical scan. However, the team management did not provide any updates regarding his injury. Notably, Bavuma missed the league stage matches against England and Bangladesh, during which Aiden Markram took over as captain in his absence.
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