Despite this challenge, Rabada remains optimistic about South Africa’s prospects at the World Cup, expressing the unwavering belief that South Africans always carry. He believes they have the talent to win the tournament and are up for the challenge of competing against the best players in the world for the ultimate prize.
South Africa’s recent ODI form has been impressive, including a comeback win against Australia, making them the No. 4 team in the MRF Tyres Men’s ICC Team Rankings. This success has added to their confidence going into the World Cup.
This will be Rabada’s second World Cup, and he is determined to improve upon his previous performance in 2019 when he only managed 11 wickets in nine games, and South Africa finished seventh. He emphasizes the importance of team cohesion and leadership within the squad, recognizing his role as a leader in the team.
Rabada’s experience, both in international games in India and in the Indian Premier League, will be crucial for South Africa’s bowling group. He highlights the importance of understanding the conditions and tactics in India, which can be different from other cricketing venues.
Rabada acknowledges that Indian pitches tend to favor batsmen, and it’s crucial to manage distractions and focus on the game while playing in front of passionate, noisy crowds in packed stadiums.
South Africa’s World Cup journey begins on October 7 against Sri Lanka in Delhi, with warm-up games against Afghanistan on September 29 and New Zealand on October 2 preceding the tournament.
Kagiso Rabada is geared up to lead South Africa’s bowling attack and hopes to contribute significantly to their World Cup campaign.