Mumbai Indians will not rush back Hardik to bowl until he is completely ready
Nagraj Gollapudi01-Oct-20214:03
‘All batsmen go through these kinds of phases’ – Mahela Jayawardene on Suryakumar Yadav’s form
“Push” Hardik Pandya “too hard” to bowl in the ongoing IPL and that might have a negative impact on his batting. That is the assessment of Mumbai Indians’ head coach Mahela Jayawardene, who said on Friday that the franchise was in touch with the Indian team management concerning Hardik’s fitness and bowling readiness. Jayawardene said that Hardik’s fitness was being “evaluated” on a daily basis, but Mumbai would not rush him back to bowl until the allrounder was completely ready.”Because he [Hardik] hasn’t bowled since Sri Lanka for a longer period of time and he had another niggle and managed getting through that process, what we are trying to do is what’s best for Hardik going forward,” Jayawardene said at the media briefing on the eve of Mumbai’s clash with Delhi Capitals on Saturday. “And, yes, I understand [there’s] the World Cup as well. We are talking to the Indian management team and make sure that sooner he feels comfortable, we get him to the bowling programme and prepare him.”Since his return from the back surgery in October 2019, Hardik has bowled just 46 overs across 41 matches. In this period, he has played just white-ball cricket although he was in the squad for the home Test series against England earlier this year. The last time Hardik bowled was on July 25 during the T20I series in Sri Lanka when he delivered two overs.Watch IPL on ESPN+ (US only)
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Hardik has not bowled for Mumbai since the 2020 IPL and has purely played as a batter. While it has affected Mumbai’s bowling strategy, Jayawardene said that the franchise would continue to exercise patience considering Hardik is also part of the Indian squad for the T20 World Cup, which starts immediately after the IPL.Not just Mumbai, but even the Indian team management, as well as the national selectors, will be monitoring Hardik’s bowling fitness considering India have picked only three specialist fast bowlers in the preliminary squad of 15. While announcing the squad, chief selector Chetan Sharma had said Hardik was “fit” and “will bowl the full quota of his overs” during the World Cup.However, out of the four matches Mumbai have played so far in the second phase of the IPL, Hardik sat out the first two matches while playing purely as a batter in the last two. But Jayawardene said Hardik was still an “asset” as a batter.”Whether he can bowl in the IPL or not is something that we will have to look at on a daily basis and evaluate and then see how he progresses. I understand all concerns, but we need to do what’s best for Hardik and him going forward and yes, he will be a good asset as a bowler as well. But at the moment if we push too hard, it might be an issue where he might even struggle and not be an asset as a batsman. So that’s something that we will have to take into account and consideration with all concerned parties and take it a day at a time.”Ahead of Mumbai’s clash against Delhi Capitals, Hardik said efforts were underway to ensure he would bowl soon: ” (I will get to bowl soon. Efforts are on)”.
أدلى محمد صلاح لاعب الفريق الأول لكرة القدم بنادي ليفربول، بتصريحات صحفية وذلك قبل مواجهة نيوكاسل يونايتد في كأس رابطة الأندية الإنجليزية المحترفة “كاراباو”.
ويستعد ليفربول لملاقاة نيوكاسل يونايتد في نهائي كأس الرابطة الإنجليزية، الأحد المقبل، على ملعب “ويمبلي”.
وتأهل ليفربول إلى المباراة النهائية عقب فوزه على توتنهام هوتسبير في دور نصف النهائي، بينما تأهل نيوكاسل يونايتد إلى الدور ذاته بتجاوز آرسنال في نفس المرحلة.
اقرأ ايضاً.. سلوت يشيد بمهاجم نيوكاسل ويؤكد: الدوري الإنجليزي أصعب من دوري أبطال أوروبا
وفي تصريحات صحفية نشرها موقع رابطة الأندية المحترفة “EfL” قال صلاح: “إنها ليست مجرد مباراة عادية، من الرائع اللعب في النهائي والفوز بالألقاب، وتعرف أنك لا تأخذ ذلك كأمر مُسلّم به”.
وأضاف محمد صلاح: “أشعر بالحماس قبل هذه المباريات الكبيرة”.
يذكر أن محمد صلاح قد توج بلقبين لـ مسابقة كأس رابطة الأندية الإنجليزية “كاراباو”، في عامي 2022 و2024 تحت قيادة يورجن كلوب مدرب ليفربول السابق.
Em mais um detalhe do livro que irá lançar em breve,’Cabeça Fria, Coração Quente’, em que revela detalhes da trajetória do Palmeiras rumo ao bi consecutivo da Copa Libertadores, o técnico Abel Ferreira contou que comprou um peixe, o batizou com o nome do torneio continental e o instalou em seu escritório como forma de motivá-lo para alcançar a glória máxima. Confira.
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وُضع جول كوندي، لاعب فريق برشلونة منتخب فرنسا، في موقف محرج بشأن جائزة الكرة الذهبية، لأفضل لاعب في العالم لعام 2025، الخاصة بمجلة “فرانس فوتبول” الشهيرة.
كان النجم المصري محمد صلاح لاعب فريق ليفربول، مرشحًا بارزًا من قِبل الكثيرين للفوز بجائزة الكرة الذهبية لهذا العام.
ولكن تراجعت أسهم محمد صلاح في سباق الكرة الذهبية بعد خروج ليفربول المبكر من بطولة دوري أبطال أوروبا، من دور الـ16 على يد باريس سان جيرمان.
وتعرض ليفربول للهزيمة بركلات الترجيح أمام باريس سان جيرمان، بعد التعادل بهدف لمثله (نتيجة مباراتي الذهاب والإياب).
اقرأ أيضًا.. مبابي يكسر صمته بشأن فوز رودري بالكرة الذهبية على حساب فينيسيوس
ويتواجد كوندي حاليًا رفقة منتخب فرنسا لخوض مباراتي ربع نهائي دوري الأمم الأوروبية، ضد كرواتيا، يومي الخميس والأحد المقبلين.
وسُئل كوندي عن من يراه قادرًا على التتويج بجائزة الكرة الذهبية، بين الرباعي كيليان مبابي، عثمان ديمبلي، رافينها ولامين يامال.
ورد كوندي، في تصريحات نشرتها شبكة “فوت ميركاتو” الفرنسية: “لقد وضعتني في موقف صعب (يضحك) بين زملائي في منتخب فرنسا وفي برشلونة”.
وأضاف: “من الصعب تحديد المرشح المفضل، هناك أسماء أخرى كذلك لم يتم ذكرها”.
وواصل: “أنا ألعب مع برشلونة، هذا سيكون أمرًا جيدًا لأنه إذا فاز بالكرة الذهبية لاعبًا من برشلونة، فهذا يعني أننا ذهبنا بعيدًا في المسابقات التي نلعب بها”.
وينافس برشلونة على 3 بطولات في الوقت الحالي، حيث يتصدر الدوري الإسباني وتأهل إلى دور ربع نهائي دوري أبطال أوروبا، كما لديه مباراة إياب نصف نهائي كأس ملك إسبانيا أمام أتلتيكو مدريد.
Manchester United have been handed a blow as it has emerged that one talented player won’t be available for selection during Ruud Van Nistelrooy’s short interim spell.
Manchester United manager latest
Erik ten Hag was sacked on Monday morning, following a disappointing injury time 2-1 defeat to West Ham United, a result that left the Red Devils 14th in the Premier League with just 11 points from 9 games.
Immediately, it emerged that Sir Jim Ratcliffe and co. had already outlined a succession plan, with the club approaching Sporting CP boss Ruben Amorim over the vacancy within hours, and the Red Devils ready to pay his €10m release clause as a form of compensation to bring him and his staff to Old Trafford.
However, the Portuguese boss will not arrive immediately, with Man Utd now confirming Amorim will begin work on November 11, the first day of the next international break.
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It means that he will remain in charge for Sporting’s upcoming Champions League game against new rivals Manchester City, giving the Portuguese side time to find a successor.
At Old Trafford, it means that Ruud Van Nistelrooy will have the change to impress in interim charge, and he made a strong start as his new-look United side swept aside Leicester City in the Carabao Cup to set up a quarter final tie with Tottenham.
He faces Premier League games against Chelsea and Leicester City as well as a Europa League game against Greek side PAOK Thessaloniki before the international break, but his opportunities to freshen up the Red Devils have been handed something of a blow.
Manchester United midfielder won't feature under Ruud
That comes as it has emerged that the Red Devils won’t be able to call upon young talent Toby Collyer for the next month after he picked up an injury. The 20-year-old featured in the 3-0 loss against Liverpool earlier in the season, coming on at half-time for Casemiro, and enjoyed a strong pre-season campaign for the Red Devils.
He was likely to be the next young talent to break into the first team under Ten Hag, who was full of praise for him ahead of the campaign.
“He has had a very good pre-season,” Ten Hag explained. “But before this, he earned being in the pre-season squad and he earned the minutes he got. He impressed. Therefore, he earns the right to play. It doesn’t matter if you are young or if you are old, if you won everything, if you learned nothing. You have to earn the right to play.”
However, The Daily Express now reveal that the midfielder will miss roughly a month of action, with the injury set to rule him out of contention for all of Van Nistelrooy’s tenure as well as probably Amorim’s debut game.
Manchester United’s injury list
Mason Mount
Leny Yoro
Antony
Luke Shaw
Tyrell Malacia
Kobbie Mainoo
Harry Maguire
With Kobbie Mainoo also absent through injury at present, and Christian Eriksen withdrawing from the squad in midweek for unclear reasons, Van Nistelrooy could be left with only summer addition Manuel Ugarte and the much-maligned Casemiro as senior options in midfield for their clash with Chelsea at the weekend.
After Shaheen’s five-for, Abid Ali and Abdullah Shafique wiped out more than half of target
Mohammad Isam29-Nov-2021
Abdullah Shafique plays a sweep•AFP/Getty Images
Stumps After Shaheen Shah Afridi blew Bangladesh away in the second innings, Abid Ali and Abdullah Shafique dashed the home side’s hopes of making a comeback in the Chattogram Test. Afridi took 5 for 32 before Abid and Shafique added 109 runs for the unbroken opening stand, leaving Pakistan with just 93 runs to win on the final day.Abid, who made 133 in the first innings, finished day four unbeaten on 56 while Shafique became the fifth Pakistan player to score two fifties on Test debut. He was unbeaten on 53 off 93 balls with six fours and a six. The pair had put on 146 for the opening stand in the first innings. It was only the second time Pakistan openers put on a century stand in both innings of a Test.Abid and Shafique hardly drove the ball forcefully down the ground, instead focusing on playing shots square of the wicket. They were steady since before the tea break, after Afridi – who picked his fourth five-wicket haul in Tests – helped bowl out Bangladesh for 157. Afridi took out the top three on the third evening, when he had Shadman Islam lbw, Najmul Hossain Shanto caught at slip and Saif Hassan stunned by a chest-high bouncer. In between, Mominul Haque, too, got out playing a soft shot, leaving Bangladesh at 25 for 4.Mushfiqur Rahim’s dismissal off the third ball of the morning compunded Bangladesh’s problems. Hasan Ali bowled Rahim, who shouldered arms to a delivery that nipped back in, following which Liton Das and Yasir Ali tried to revive Bangladesh’s fortunes, but they hardly looked settled. Liton survived a missed stumping and a miscued hoick, while Yasir nearly ran himself out, and inside-edged a couple of boundaries.Shaheen Shah Afridi ended with 5 for 32•AFP/Getty Images
Afridi put paid to Bangladesh’s recovery at that stage when he struck Yasir on the back of his helmet with a bouncer, around the first hour mark. A concussed Yasir walked off after seven deliveries, and was sent for scans.His concussion substitute, Nurul Hasan, struck three fours before playing a needless lofted shot, straight to long-on. Liton followed him back to the pavilion shortly, trapped lbw by Afridi, who then removed Abu Jayed with another rip-snorter that struck him on the gloves and grille, before reaching wicketkeeper Mohammad Rizwan.Offspinner Sajid Khan wrapped up the innings with his third wicket, when Taijul Islam was stumped for a duck.
Bastaram dois jogos do Campeonato Carioca para Roberto Baggio abrir o olho do mercado externo. O meio-campista do Bangu está sendo monitorado por clubes dos Emirados Árabes Unidos e pode deixar o Alvirrubro ao final do Estadual.
O camisa 6 marcou o gol da vitória da equipe comandada por Felipe Loureiro sobre o Fluminense, na 1ª rodada da competição. Ele também teve chance de balançar as redes contra o Botafogo, no último domingo.
Baggio está no Bangu desde o ano passado e garante que o foco é fazer uma boa campanha com o Alvirrubro. Vale lembrar que a equipe bateu na trave na busca pelo acesso à Série C do Campeonato Brasileiro na última temporada.
– Estou muito feliz com esse momento, como foi a estreia… Fui feliz com o gol para dar a vitória para o gol. O plano é continuar focado para tudo continuar dando certo, trabalhar firme, tenho fé em Deus que daqui para o final do campeonato a gente vai fazer uma boa campanha e vamos alcançar nossos objetivos – afirmou Roberto Baggio.
Times brasileiros das Séries B e C também sondaram o atleta recentemente. Clubes monitoram o brasileiro, mas ainda não há nenhum tipo de proposta formal nas mãos da diretoria do Bangu. O meia tem uma experiência no exterior na carreira: jogou no Zlaté Moravace, da Eslováquia, em 2018.
أعلنت رابطة الأندية المصرية المحترفة، قرارها بشأن أزمة مباراة الأهلي والزمالك، التي لم تلعب من منافسات الجولة الأولى من عمر مباريات المرحلة الثانية لبطولة الدوري المصري الممتاز.
وقررت رابطة الأندية، اليوم السبت، بشكل رسمي، اعتماد فوز الزمالك على الأهلي بنتيجة 3-0، مع خصم 3 نقاط مع المارد الأحمر في نهاية المسابقة على إثر انسحابه من مباراة القمة التي كان مقررا لها يوم الثلاثاء الماضي.
طالع | رابطة الأندية تعتمد فوز الزمالك بالقمة وتخصم 3 نقاط من الأهلي
وبذلك، يحصد الزمالك 3 نقاط، ترفع رصيده إلى النطقة 35، يحتل المركز الثالث في جدول ترتيب الدوري المصري (مجموعة تحديد البطل).
بينما النادي الاهلي، يظل عند النطقة 39 محتلًا المركز الثاني في جدول ترتيب الدوري المصري، مع العلم أنه سوف يتم خصم 3 نقاط من الفريق مع نهاية الدوري للموسم الحالي.
يذكر، أن بطولة الدوري المصري الممتاز للموسم الحالي 2024-2025، تقام بنظام استثنائي، حيث تم لعب مباريات الدور الأول كمرحلة أولى.
ثم تم تقسيم الأندية إلى مجموعتين، مجموعة من المركز الأول حتى التاسع للمنافسة على اللقب، وبداية من 10 حتى 18 للمنافسة على البقاء والهبوط، على أن يهبط فريقين فقط إلى دوري القسم الثاني. ترتيب الدوري المصريترتيب مجموعة تحديد البطل للدوري المصري
1- بيراميدز – 43 نقطة.
2- الأهلي – 39 نقطة. (سوف يتم خصم 3 نقاط مع نهاية المسابقة بناءً على قرار رابطة الأندية).
3- الزمالك – 35 نقطة.
4- المصري – 31 نقطة.
5- البنك الأهلي – 29 نقطة.
6- فاركو – 26 نقطة.
7- بتروجيت – 25 نقطة.
8- سيراميكا كليوباترا – 24 نقطة.
9- حرس الحدود – 22 نقطة. ترتيب مجموعة البقاء والهبوط في الدوري المصري
10- زد – 24 نقطة.
11- طلائع الجيش – 21 نقطة.
12- الجونة – 20 نقطة.
13- سموحة – 20 نقطة.
14- الاتحاد السكندري – 18 نقطة.
15- الإسماعيلي – 17 نقطة.
16- غزل المحلة – 17 نقطة.
17- إنبي – 12 نقطة.
18- مودرن سبورت – 12 نقطة.
يمكنكم متابعة ترتيب الدوري المصري الممتاز، بشكل محدث باستمرار من هنا
Em partida que teve superioridade bem dividida entre os tempos, o Avaí venceu por 2 a 0 a equipe do Barra neste sábado (29), na Ressacada, pela terceira rodada do Campeonato Catarinense. Foi o primeiro triunfo Azzurra na competição enquanto a equipe que retornou recentemente à elite estadual tem um empate e duas derrotas no início da disputa.
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>Receba as principais notícias com o novo canal do LANCE! no Telegram
SAI, ZICA!
Além de não ter vencido nenhum compromisso em duas rodadas do estadual, o time Azzurra sequer havia balançado as redes adversárias na competição, algo findado aos 12 minutos do confronto na capital catarinense. Depois de bola levantada onde Renato escorou, Copete mostrou oportunismo e marcou para o Avaí.
Priorizando a recomposição defensiva e diminuir a área de atuação do adversário, o Leão da Ilha conseguia não apenas dificultar a vida do Barra como também tinha maior controle sobre as ações da partida, tendo problemas, na verdade, na hora da conclusão. A única exceção dentro desse cenário mais controlado para os anfitriões veio na bola parada onde, na cobrança de falta, Fredson cabeceou dentro da área para uma excelente defesa de Douglas Friedrich.
I-N-A-C-R-E-D-I-T-Á-V-E-L
Já nos acrescimos da primeira etapa, mais precisamente no último ataque, o Barra teve duas chances mais do que clara para deixar tudo igual na Ressacada. O ex-Avaí Renatinho e o atacante Dudu Beberibe bateram com violência contra a meta avaiana, mas o goleiro Douglas Friedrich fez duas intervenções espetaculares e que foram capazes de segurar o marcador a favor do Leão.
PRESSÃO CRESCENTE
O lance derradeiro nos primeiros 46 minutos de jogo parece ter deixado o time de Balenário Camboriú esperançoso no compromisso, já que os visitantes subiram bastante suas linhas de marcação e colocaram o Avaí em situação de dificuldade na partida, praticamente não frequentando o ataque nos primeiros 15 minutos após o intervalo. Nesse período, foram pelo menos três oportunidades de perigo (duas com Dudu Ceará e uma por meio de Pereira) com Douglas Friedrich e o zagueiro Fagner Alemão sendo providenciais para impedir a igualdade.
ALÍVIO
Diante de um momento totalmente desfavorável no jogo, o lance trabalhado entre Bruno Silva e Paulo Baya foi determinante para a marcação do segundo gol avaiano que decretou o resultado positivo do time da casa. Após passe do meio-campista para o atacante no lado direito do ataque, o camisa 8 foi para a grande área e, na finalização, contou com a “colaboração” do arqueiro Bruno Grassi.
FICHA TÉCNICA AVAÍ 1 x 0 BARRA
Local: Estádio da Ressacada, em Florianópolis (SC) Data e hora: 29/01/2022 – 19h (de Brasília) Público e Renda: 1887 torcedores – R$ 37.170,00 Árbitro:Ramon Abatti Abel Assistentes: José Roberto Larroyd e Guilherme Costa Gonçalves Cartões amarelos:Arthur Chaves, Bruno Silva (AVA); Luiz Otávio (BAR) Cartões vermelhos:
GOLS:Copete (12’/1°T) (1-0) e Bruno Silva (34’/2°T) (2-0)
AVAÍ (Técnico: Claudinei Oliveira)
Douglas Friedrich; Matheus Ribeiro, Fagner Alemão, Arthur Chaves e Diego Matos; Bruno Silva, Eduardo (Raniele, aos 21’/2°T), Renato (Romulo, aos 10’/2°) e Vinícius Leite (Matheus Lucas, aos 26’/2°T); Lourenço (Muriqui, aos 26’/2°T) e Copete (Paulo Baya, aos 21’/2°T).
BARRA (Técnico: Matheus Costa)
Bruno Grassi; Lenon, Cleyton, Fredson e Dudu Paraíba (Renan Luís, aos 21’/2°T); Arthur, Luiz Otávio (Pereira, no intervalo) e Renatinho (Vitinho, aos 32’/2°T); Dudu Silva (Gabriel Pires, aos 42’/2°T), Diego Ceará (Wallace, aos 20’/2°T) e Dudu Beberibe.
“As a South African cricket side, we have been put under immense pressure around this whole topic”
Firdose Moonda09-Nov-2021
‘We want to avoid a situation where things are being dictated or instructed towards players. Importantly, how does it show in our everyday behaviour?’•Alex Davidson/Getty Images
Temba Bavuma has called for South African cricket to take a “collective” decision on how it will approach anti-racism gestures going forward, and said the pressure mounted on the team to take a knee is “sometimes a bit unfair,” given the myriad issues facing ordinary South Africans.Bavuma, who led the team at the T20 World Cup, where they were instructed by the Cricket South Africa board to take a knee ahead of their second match for the duration of the tournament, is unsure whether the national side will continue making the gesture but believes the values of inclusion should translate into daily behaviour.Related
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South Africa are not perfect, but they are starting to get comfortable about it
“The important thing for me is, how does this translate into our everyday life,” Bavuma said. “That for me is the cream on top. We can all go out there, raise our fists, go on the knee, but if deep down in the heart, you’re not really for the cause, and what it stands for, and it doesn’t show in your everyday behaviour then I guess it brings into question the authenticity of it all.”As a South African cricket side, we have been put under immense pressure around this whole topic, more than any other international teams, more than any of our other local teams, for whatever reason that may be. I think that the work and the effort that has gone behind the scenes does not get enough attention or acknowledgement probably because of the fact that people from the outside don’t get to see or hear the conversations that we have. Sometimes the pressure that is mounted on us is a bit unfair.”Going forward, a decision is going to have to be a collective one. That’s an important thing. We want to avoid a situation where things are being dictated or instructed towards players. Importantly, how does it show in our everyday behaviour? Not just in our Proteas team, but within the country as a whole. Our country has big big big problems and that’s where the energy, in my opinion, should really be spent.”‘The off-field matters with Quinton and how all of that unfolded and how it was dealt with, that helped increase people’s confidence in my ability as captain’•ICC via Getty
CSA has said it will consult with the players on this issue, but wants them to show a unified face. “The position of the board is clear that we want to team to take a unified stance against racism,” Lawson Naidoo, the CSA chairperson, said. “We will engage with them. But we want a clear and consistent approach.”The Proteas are the only South African national team who have become embroiled in controversy around the knee. Neither the Springboks nor Bafana Bafana have taken a knee, despite playing several fixtures since the re-emergence of the Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement last year, but neither rugby nor football have had issues of race in the recent spotlight as much as cricket has. CSA held Social Justice and Nation-Building hearings from July, aimed at providing a space for those who have experienced racial discrimination to air their grievances and allowing anyone implicated, including current national coach Mark Boucher and current director of cricket, Graeme Smith, the right of reply. The transformation ombudsman, Dumisa Ntsebeza, will furnish CSA with his report by the end of this month.With Smith and Boucher both part of the current structures, the SJN testimony directly affected the national set-up, where it was initially decided not to take a knee late last year. CSA opted for black armbands and banners in the stands, then moved to raised fists and then gave players options of taking a knee, raising a fist or standing to attention. That changed at the World Cup, where the board made it mandatory for everyone in the national set-up to take a knee. The next steps are yet to be decided.”Originally what was decided was the team would take the opportunity to show their gesture in their particular way. Things changed within the World Cup,” Bavuma said. “As a team, we haven’t spoken yet [about what we will do from here]. Everyone will have to get together. A guy like (Test captain) Dean Elgar will have to be a part of the conversation to see how we are going to do things going forward. A conversation there still needs to happen and I would assume all decision-makers, all role-players will be involved in that decision. You will find a situation where it’s the team, the board, probably Graeme Smith and then a decision will be made on that.”At the World Cup Quinton de Kock was the only member of the touring party who refused to do so at first and sat out the game against West Indies as a result. It was left to Bavuma to explain the situation and, despite not being asked to handle the post-match press conference at first, he decided to address the media, where he delivered impressive answers. “Everything happened quite quickly. There was no real time to consult with anyone from my side. I found myself in a position having to weigh up both sides of the story and then be able to express my opinion,” Bavuma said “Sometimes, that’s the best way to go about something – when you don’t really have a lot of time to think about it. You can really just speak to the merits of what is at hand. It doesn’t have to be premeditated or scripted and fake.”Even though they narrowly failed to make the semi-finals, South Africa’s fans began to warm to the team as the World Cup progressed•Aamir Qureshi/AFP/Getty Images
Bavuma recognised the situation as something that “is very hard for one to prepare for,” and that it could have caused the entire World Cup campaign to unravel. “There were matters that happened off the field that put us under pressure and there were challenging times as a team. It was moments that could have broken us or brought us together as a team. There’s a lot of growth as a team,” he said. “I was tested as well. I was put in situations that are very hard for one to prepare for. I am grateful that I was able to get out of those situations. I am a lot more confident. In terms of the trust, in terms of the backing of each other and the confidence in each other, we are in a better space as a team going forward.”South Africa went on to win the match against West Indies and their next three, but missed out on a semi-final spot on net-run rate and Bavuma could feel a shift in the way South Africa are perceived. “Before heading to the World Cup not a lot of people had much faith in us. Those were people within our own circles as well. The type of messages I got were along the lines of go and enjoy the experience. There wasn’t much about really setting our sights on winning the World Cup,” Bavuma said. “As the tournament unfolded, the sentiments changed. Us qualifying became a bit more of a realistic goal until Australia beat Bangladesh the way they did.”The off-field matters with Quinton and how all of that unfolded and how it was dealt with, that helped increase people’s confidence in my ability as captain. There’s been a bit of a shift. A different type of energy. That’s quite warming.”But, although Bavuma’s stocks have risen, he does not expect things to get easier. “Me coming in as the captain, the responsibility was always going to be a big one, there was always going to be pressure and expectation from all angles,” Bavuma said. “If I look at my Proteas career, there has always been some type of pressure around me, and rightfully so. As an international cricketer, that’s the environment that you operate in. Over the years, I have learnt ways to deal with that pressure, to try to put aside emotions and deal with the issue at hand.”