Proteas captain Temba Bavuma has been left out of the team to face England because of illness.
Image: Asif Hassan / AFP
The Proteas lost the toss against England at the National Bank Stadium in Karachi on Saturday and will field first.
Proteas captain Temba Bavum and top order batsman Tony de Zorzi have been ruled out of the match due to an illness, Cricket South Africa confirmed.
Aiden Markram will be the stand-in captain against the English.
The nail biting ‘quarter final’ match against the English is to decide which team South Africa will play in the semi-final, after topping Group B. Australia are the other Group B team to make it through to the next round.
The Proteas go into this match on a high, coming off a big win against Afghanistan and a wash out against Australia.
England’s hopes of progressing into the semis have been destroyed after their loss to Afghanistan earlier this week.
England are still a force to be reckoned with, however, Rassie van der Dussen said, as they will likely be more dangerous with nothing to lose. Van der Dussen said the Proteas were not changing any aspect of their game plan for the English bout.
“I think that’s what is going to make them dangerous. Like we mentioned, they have nothing to lose and will be out to prove a point after some really stern criticism from their press back home and online and so forth, from the things that I’ve seen.
“So, they will be coming and saying ‘Listen, let’s go down fighting’ type of thing, and it makes them dangerous. They already are a dangerous side to start with,” van der Dussen said.
Meanwhile, the Proteas batting line-up saw an added boost after Heinrich Klaasen was deemed fit for selection this week, following an elbow injury which he couldn’t shake off in time for Afghanistan.
Proteas: Tristan Stuubs, Ryan Rickelton, Rssie van der Dussen, Aiden Markram, Heinrich Klaasen, David Miller, Wiaan Mulder, Marco Jansen, Keshav Maharaj, Kagiso Rabada and Lungi Ngidi.
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