Temba Bavuma, speechless after South Africa’s World Cup semifinal loss, graciously congratulated Australia for their resilient victory at Eden Gardens.
Temba Bavuma, South Africa’s skipper, expressed being speechless as their World Cup semi-final exit persisted, acknowledging Australia’s nerve-wracking win in a low-scoring Eden Gardens thriller. Despite a commendable overall performance in the tournament, South Africa’s batting woes led to their downfall.
In the post-match presentation, Bavuma, gracious in defeat, lauded Australia’s resilience while regretting the team’s sluggish start with both bat and ball. Despite a valiant late resurgence, Bavuma admitted their faltering beginning ultimately cost them the crucial match.
“Cannot put it into words, first of all congratulations to Australia. Good luck to them in the final. They played really well today. Our character came through today. We showed a lot of resilience. The way we started with the bat and the ball was the telling point, that’s where we lost the game,” Bavuma said.
“The conditions combined with the quality of their attack, they really put us under pressure. You’re always going to struggle to put up a competitive total when you’re 24/4,” he added.
Bavuma praised David Miller’s exceptional innings under pressure in the World Cup semi-final, highlighting the team’s character. Despite Aiden Markram and Keshav Maharaj’s impactful bowling, conceding 70 runs in the initial 10 overs allowed Australia to settle.
The skipper further commended Gerald Coetzee for his consistent bowling performance throughout the tournament, especially praising his crucial wickets of Steve Smith and Josh Inglis despite facing cramps.
“Quinton would’ve probably wanted to end his career on a different note, despite the result I think he’ll remember his time. He’ll go down as one of the legends in South African cricket,” Bavuma concluded.
Last Updated on November 17, 2023
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