Temba Bavuma urges Proteas to overcome ODI series defeat before Tests
Zaahier Adams
Proteas captain Temba Bavuma wants his team to deal with “any negative emotions” after being wiped away 3-0 in the ODI series before the all-important Test series begins against Pakistan later this week.
Pakistan once again delivered a dominant performance, bettering the Proteas in all three departments, to claim a 36-run DLS victory in the Pink ODI at the Wanderers on Sunday.
🟢![CDATA[]]>🩷Match Result
— Proteas Men (@ProteasMenCSA) December 22, 2024
🇵![CDATA[]]>🇰Pakistan win the 3rd and final ODI by 36 runs (DLS Method).
They take the ODI Series 3-0🏆#WozaNawe #BePartOfIt #PinkDay #SAvPAK pic.twitter.com/bwI2BRLGDN
Despite the match being reduced to 47 overs due to thunderstorms early on, Pakistan still managed to post an impressive 308/9. The feature throughout the series has been the form of Pakistan opener Saim Ayub, who struck 101 off 94 balls (13x4; 2x6). It was the left-hander’s second century of the series to go along with his undefeated 98 in the first T20I.
The experienced Pakistani pair of Mohammed Rizwan (53) and Babar Azam (52) have all returned to form just ahead of the Test series with back-to-back half-centuries in the last two ODI’s.
The return of Kagiso Rabada to the Proteas line-up was the only shining light on the bowling side with the spearhead finishing with figures of 3/56.
The Proteas’ batting unit’s tale of woe continued with a host of top-order batters once again getting starts - Tony de Zorzi (26), Rassie van der Dussen (35), Aiden Markram (19) - without converting it into anything substantial.
It was left to Heinrich Klaasen yet again to play a lone hand with the destructive right-hander smashing his third consecutive half-century of the series with 81 off just 43 balls (12x4, 2x6).
Although Klaasen received support from ODI debutant Corbin Bosch (40 not out off 44 balls), it was never going to be enough as the Proteas’ surrendered once more.
Bavuma admitted the Proteas have come out of this ODI series “with more questions than answers” but now hopes his team can put this “disappointing end to the series” behind them before they tackle Pakistan in the all-important first Test at Centurion on Boxing Day.
The Proteas Test side requires a solitary victory from the next two matches to qualify for the ICC World Test Championship at Lord’s next year.
“There will have to be deep introspection for all of us individually and then for us as a unit,” Bavuma said.
“Klaassie was the shining light. He was batting on a different pitch to all of us. He has really shone as a batter and shown why he has been held in such high regard.
“We'll be donning the whites again in a couple of days so it's important that we deal with any negative emotions we have and make sure we are ready to take them on in the red-ball."