Reports - Tabraiz Shamsi to undergo fitness test ahead of South Africa's opener against Australia

If reports are to be believed then ace spinner Tabraiz Shamsi will have to pass a fitness test ahead of South Africa’s 20-20 World Cup opener against Australia. Shamsi had picked up a mild groin injury during the warm-up game against Pakistan. He immediately went off the field and didn’t take further part in the match, leaving South Africa worried. Shamsi has been an integral cog in the South Africa setup and has played a pivotal role in many of South Africa's wins in the last couple of years. He is the number one T20I bowler and South Africa’s biggest weapon in the upcoming showpiece event.

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Meanwhile, South Africa have some decent momentum by their side heading into the global event having comprehensively won their warm-up games against Afghanistan and Pakistan. Earlier, they had clean-swept Sri Lanka in the T20I series preceding the 20-20 World Cup.

This will be South Africa skipper Temba Bavuma’s first multinational tournament as a captain and the skipper is keen to end the chokers tag that South Africa have carried for a long time. Bavuma admitted that leading the team in the 20-20 World Cup will be a challenge for him but added that the team is confident to do well in the marquee event. “The pressure is always there, it’s my first world event. This is the only experience I have. I can’t compare it to anything else. We expect ourselves to do well as a team, and that is where the pressure comes from,” Bavuma said.

South Africa are placed in a tough group with Australia, England and West Indies to accompany them. Only the top two teams of the group will qualify for the next round thus South Africa will be keen to get off to a winning start against a depleted Australia, who have not looked themselves in the last few months.