BY DEAN CLOETE
The Proteas will pak aan Pakistan without captain Temba Bavuma in the first of three one-day internationals at Boland Park in Paarl today at 2pm.
Bavuma, who recently won the Man of the Series award for his performances against Sri Lanka in two Tests, will be replaced as leader for today’s match by fellow top-order batter Aiden Markram.
Of sitting out the match, Bavuma says: “I won’t be involved in the game [today]. We are managing the load of players and are looking at the series we just came from and what’s coming, things like that will be taken into consideration.”
South Africa are using the Pakistan series as preparation for the Champions Trophy in Pakistan in February 2025.
Bavuma and some of the team’s five-day stars will be eyeing the Boxing Day Test at Centurion and also the New Year’s Test against Pakistan innie Kaap. SA can wrap up qualification for the World Test Championship final at Lord’s next year in those matches.
But they have to get through the 50-over series first, with Bavuma adding that they would like to take the momentum from beating Pakistan 2-0 in the T20s into the ODIs.
He says: “It’s been a good start to the series for us and some good cricket was played.
“The momentum is there, the confidence and we want to carry that through and feed off the confidence the T20 boys have brought to the team.”