Even after losing their last cricket World Cup Pool B game against Pakistan, South African skipper AB de Villiers on Wednesday said they are only three games away from lifting the elusive trophy.
“I 100 per cent believe we are the best team in the tournament here. Those two losses in the group stage did hurt us a bit but we are past that now. We know we are very close… three games away from taking that World Cup home,” said de Villiers.
“The most important game is on Thursday but we know we are not far off so it’s important to be positive and still believe we are the best.”
The Proteas in their last group encounter the United Arab Emirates (UAE) on Thursday.
The skipper said he was sure his side can chase down any score and he was quite confident of the batting line-up which has not quite fired in the last two matches.
“It’s not an issue. I believe we can chase down any total, We’ve done it in the last year a few times under pressure. We didn’t get it right the last couple of chases and that’s alright.”
“I am still confident in the batting unit. I believe there are a few guys due for big runs and it’s going to happen soon at the right time,” he said.
South Africa’s immediate focus, though, is the balance of the team. Their preference for seven specialist batsmen has left them making up a fifth bowler from part-timers but playing five front-line bowlers will leave a batsman short which again can be a cause for concern.
“That’s the difficult decision most teams have to make at this World Cup – an extra batter or an extra bowler,” the 31-year-old pointed out.
“The last few games we have gone for the extra batter, against India we went for the extra bowler. Both times we lost. So it’s a difficult one.”
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