Cricket World Cup - "Temba Bavuma Must Step Up...": Graeme Smith's Advice For South Africa Captain

South Africa owes its success to one of its "most destructive" middle-order, said former skipper Graeme Smith, who wants captain Temba Bavuma to step up to guide the team to a first-ever World Cup title. Smith admits he did not expect this South African side to be so ruthless but said their consistent and dominant performances have established them as one of the favourites to lift the title. "Like everybody else, my expectations were lower going into the tournament. I knew that if the team was going to do well, there were certain players who had to have a good tournament — and that has happened," Smith told PTI.

"South Africa has a really destructive middle order. I would probably say one of South Africa's most destructive middle-order ever — with Nos 4, 5 and 6, (Aiden) Markram, (Heinrich) Klaasen and (David) Miller — you have got players that have incredible power and destructive ability. They all play spin well, that is a huge asset." For a team to have recorded totals in the range of 400 as many as three times, Smith feels batting with freedom has led them to dominate the opposition in the competition and they must stick with what has worked for them with the semifinals looming large.

"They are building up to some big games, against Afghanistan, New Zealand and India. Hopefully, they can maintain the freedom (with which) they have been playing with,” said Smith, who is also the league commissioner of SA20.

"The key for them now, getting to these stages in the tournament, (the) conversations change, (the) pressure changes and expectations are now there. They should just focus on cricket and play the way they have played." Smith said South Africa's success is a testimony to the work done by captain Bavuma, white ball