PROTEAS SET TO GIVE SHAMSI A CALL, SAYS BAVUMA

Proteas captain and Sunrisers Eastern Cape batter Temba Bavuma has backed Paarl Royals wrist-spinner Tabraiz Shamsi to return to the starting XI against Pakistan in today’s crunch ICC World Cup clash Chennai.

Durban’s Super Giants captain Keshav Maharaj has been the Proteas’ first-choice spinner at the World Cup with Shamsi only playing one of the five matches thus far.

He, however, performed credibly in that sole outing against Australia, claiming 2/38 from 7.5 overs to help rout the Aussies for just 177.

But with conditions expected to favour the spinners at the Chepauk Stadium - home of Indian Premier League juggernauts Chennai Super Kings and big brother to Betway SA20 team Joburg Super Kings - Shamsi could be back in the line-up.

"We haven't finalised the team. We haven't seen the wicket yet. It's still under covers, but definitely you can expect for Shamsi to come into play," Bavuma told reporters.

Shamsi is also eager to get back out on the park, especially as he could possibly get the opportunity to bowl to Pakistan captain Babar Azam.

“If you look at the squads, all the teams have top four-five batters in each team, so there’s gonna be no easy batsman I am going to come across, but if I have to pick a couple of players, I would love to bowl against Rohit Sharma, Babar Azam. 

“I would love to get those two guys out, hopefully if I get an opportunity to play against them and bowl against them,” Shamsi said.

The Proteas are seeking a victory over Pakistan to take them one step closer to securing a semi-final, while the 1992 champions are facing a battle of survival after three successive defeats.

Traditionally this has made Pakistan a dangerous team to face when their backs are against the wall, and Bavuma is fully aware of the challenge facing his Proteas side today.

"I saw a comment that described Pakistan as mercurial," said Bavuma, who has recovered from the gastric illness that forced him to miss the last two matches. 

"I had to Google the word, but it spoke about how a team can be good one day and not so good the next.

"So, we want to make sure that when they're good, we are so good as well.

“We went through the Pakistan team, the threats that they bring, their strengths and obviously their weaknesses.

"We know that they haven't played close to their best, but tomorrow could be that. We need to make sure we are ready for that."