Proteas back new players to stand up against Australia, says Shamsi

While the national squad includes a handful of uncapped players, experienced spin bowler Tabraiz Shamsi says South Africa are confident they have enough firepower to put up a fight against Australia this week.

Returning to international action after a five-month break, the Proteas will face the tourists in a three-match T20 series starting in Durban on Wednesday.

And though they are all expected to return for the upcoming ODI series, in preparation for the Cricket World Cup, Quinton de Kock, Heinrich Klaasen, David Miller, Anrich Nortje and Kagiso Rabada are being rested for the T20 campaign against Australia.

In their absence, the Proteas will rely on the likes of Dewald Brevis, Donovan Ferreira, Gerald Coetzee and Matthew Breetzke, who have no T20 International experience.

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“It’s very exciting and we don’t see them as junior players or new guys coming into the squad,” Shamsi said yesterday.

“If you look at the names that have come in, any one of those guys is equally capable of winning a game or two for us single-handedly, so it’s exciting times for us that we can call upon players of that calibre.

“Even though they’re new to the international scene, we’ve seen what they’ve done (in T20 leagues) around the world and on the franchise circuit. So personally I’m excited to see how they go about their business, and we know the match-winning capabilities that each of them have.”

Perennial rivals

Despite the new-look T20 squad, Shamsi insisted they were not taking the matches lightly, and he felt they would be ready to put up a fight against perennial rivals Australia.

He also dismissed the idea that the T20 series was just a warm-up for the ODI matches, with the squad’s sights already focusing on the 50-over World Cup to be held in India in October.

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“Whether we are in a great patch as a team or a bad patch, whenever the Australians come around we know everyone is up for it,” Shamsi said.

“I don’t get the feeling from the group or the coaching staff that this is just a warm-up. We’re definitely here to win the series and I think our preparation has shown that.”

All three T20 matches between South Africa and Australia will be played in Durban.