NEW DELHI: South Africa's preparations for the ICC Cricket World Cup suffered a setback as their ODI captain, Temba Bavuma, had to return home from India due to personal reasons. This development occurred just before the team's two warm-up matches against Afghanistan and New Zealand, scheduled for September 29 and October 2, respectively.
According to South Africa cricket's social media channels, Bavuma's departure was prompted by personal matters. In his absence, the team will be led by T20I captain Aiden Markram during the warm-up games. It is expected that Bavuma will rejoin the squad before their opening World Cup match.
The South African team is gearing up for their World Cup campaign, which begins on October 7 with a match against Sri Lanka in New Delhi. While Bavuma's absence in the warm-up games is a setback, the team will be hoping to have him back in time for the crucial tournament matches.
Bavuma has been a key player and leader for South Africa in limited-overs cricket, and his absence will be felt. However, the team will have to adapt quickly and make the most of their warm-up games to fine-tune their preparations for the World Cup.
South Africa will be aiming to make a strong impact in the tournament and will look to build on their recent performances in white-ball cricket. The absence of their captain in the warm-up matches adds an element of challenge, but the team will be focused on delivering strong performances when the World Cup begins.
(With PTI inputs)
