‘These guys are disruptors’: Proteas brace for giant beaters Afghanistan

Preparing to face the match’s shock contenders, Proteas bowling coach Eric Simons says they are not underestimating Afghanistan and can be able to go on Friday, regardless of the irrelevant outcome (a minimum of from their very own perspective).

While different groups within the match had been extra explosive with the bat than the Afghan facet, Simons mentioned the Proteas could be cautious of their opponents who had delivered breakthrough outcomes all through the Cricket World Cup in India.

Afghanistan had been handed a three-wicket defeat by five-time champions Australia earlier this week (due to a outstanding double-century from Glenn Maxwell) however they’d pushed all of them the way in which.

Simons mentioned South Africa had been bracing for a hard-fought contest as they aimed to enter the playoffs with one other confidence-boosting victory.

“We saw a situation where the Afghanistan batsmen were dictating Australia’s plans, and as experienced as [Australian bowlers Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood] are, they seemed to almost get into their heads and control the tempo at which the game was played,” Simons mentioned.

“I think that’s something that’s very important for a bowling line-up not to allow the batsmen to do, particularly when you go into the game and you know these guys are disruptors in the way that they play.”

Afghan hopes

While the results of the match received’t imply as a lot for South Africa, with their semi-final opponents already determined, it’s a crunch fixture for Afghanistan.

After choosing up 4 wins to this point within the opening spherical – together with victories over defending champions England and former champions Pakistan – the Afghan outfit can be determined to earn one other shock triumph in an try to succeed in the World Cup playoffs for the primary time.

The match between South Africa and Afghanistan begins at 10.30am (SA time) in Ahmedabad on Friday.