Bavuma inspired by ‘idol’ Tendulkar as Proteas embrace Wankhede stage
The Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai hosts its first game of the tournament on Saturday, and Bavuma can’t wait to play at the home venue of one of the biggest stars in the history of the game.
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“I think for me, growing up, idolising a guy like Sachin Tendulkar, Wankhede was a stadium you always heard about. So, to have that opportunity to play here, that's another tick off my list as a cricketer.
“The guys that have played here, JP Duminy, Quinton de Kock, have spoken about how it can be a batter’s paradise. You get value for your shots and the ball seems to travel further.
“So, I think as batters it can build a lot of confidence. And if it is your day, you can fill your boots. And I guess just the atmosphere of it all, it being a full ground, it can really be something to enjoy.”
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Bavuma and South Africa will be looking to bounce back from a shock defeat against Netherlands last time out, while opponents England are hoping to recover from an upset of their own at the hands of Afghanistan.
And the Proteas skipper says it’s an enticing prospect to have two of the tournament’s big-hitting teams looking for a statement at a high-scoring ground.
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“I think if I was a cricket fan, I'd want to be watching South Africa versus England," Bavuma said. "I think it will be a tightly contested game. It'll be an exciting game.
“Both teams, I guess, will be looking to prove themselves, if I could say that. There'll be individuals in both camps who are wanting to put their hand up for the team. So, if I was a fan, I'd definitely want to come and watch.”
Mumbai isn’t the only city to host a crunch South Africa versus England World Cup clash on Saturday, with the two nations also set to meet in the Rugby World Cup semi-finals in Paris later the same day.
And Bavuma says that the two groups of South African players have been in touch ahead of their respective matches.
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“A lot of us love our rugby so we'll definitely be supporting the Springboks and I'm sure they'll be supporting us as well,” he said.
“We play first so I guess the responsibility’s on us to get things going the right way and then obviously we'll be supporting the guys after the game.
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“They actually sent us a message today in our meeting, I guess you know trying to encourage us with our game.
“So yeah, I think as a fan for South Africa, even for England, you obviously will be glued to your screens. And I guess, again, for us as players, we have that responsibility to put smiles on our countrymen's faces, and make sure we go out and entertain, and bring back the win.”