Boks and Proteas wish each other luck ahead of respective England clashes

Proteas captain Temba Bavuma said his side would have to set the tone in what will be the first of two World Cup clashes between South Africa and England on Saturday. 

Bavuma’s men take on England’s cricketers at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai (start 10.30am) after which the Springboks face the England’s rugby team in a semifinal match in Paris (at 9pm).

“We play first so I guess the responsibility’s on us to get things going the right way,” Bavuma said. 

The Boks sent their Proteas counterparts best wishes for their match. “They actually sent us a message today in our meeting, 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. 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.”

The Proteas reciprocated, showing their support for the Boks, with a message on Instagram, featuring Tabraiz Shamsi, David Miller and Marco Jansen.

The two matches come at different stages in their respective competitions. For the Springboks, there is greater peril, with defeat ending their chances of a successful title defence in France. 

The Proteas don’t have as much jeopardy yet. A loss on Saturday would turn up the pressure on them, but they will still have another five round-robin matches remaining. 

For Bavuma, the venue for Saturday’s match also holds special reverence, as it is the home ground of his batting idol.

“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 be playing here, that's another tick off my list as a cricketer,” he said.

“The guys that have played here, (batting coach) JP Duminy, Quinton (de Kock), they've 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. I guess just the atmosphere of it all, it being a full ground, it can really be something to enjoy.”