Dubai, March 3 South African batter Heinrich Klaasen has insisted that the team’s whirlwind 18-hour trip to Dubai will have no adverse effects as they prepare for their crucial Champions Trophy semifinal against New Zealand in Lahore on Wednesday.
The Proteas, along with Australia, were forced to travel to the United Arab Emirates on Sunday to await the result of the final Group A match between India and New Zealand. With India emerging victorious, Australia stayed back to face them in Tuesday’s first semifinal, while South Africa made a quick return to Pakistan.
"We knew there was a big possibility that we might have to fly up and down," Heinrich Klaasen told a press conference on Monday. "It's not ideal for the body, but at least we had some time to get out and walk around and get loose; just had a nice time. But we knew it was going to happen. It was part of the scheduling that two teams would have to do it. We were one of them, unfortunately."
"We haven't really travelled a lot in this competition. It was a crazy 18 hours, but both teams who were playing in Lahore had to travel six hours after playing a game.
"We at least had off-time to stretch our legs and recover before we had to come back. In that respect, there's not a lot of difference. I think our bodies will be in a better state than (the New Zealanders')."
South Africa now shift their focus to New Zealand, knowing that victory will take them to the final, where they will face either India or Australia. Klaasen believes that adaptability will be key, given the contrasting conditions in Dubai and Lahore. “The conditions in Pakistan are good for batting, so the bowlers have a tougher job. In Dubai, the wicket is slower,” he explained. “It’s quite chilly in Lahore, so I think the ball will swing a little more. But Pakistan is a nice place to bat.”
Having reached the semifinals of the 2023 ODI World Cup and the final of last year’s T20 World Cup, South Africa carries the weight of expectation. However, Klaasen believes that past experiences will help them manage pressure better this time. “The nerves are a little bit less because we have more experience in the semifinal department,” he said. “We’re playing good cricket at ICC events, but we’ve had some bad luck in the past. The big boys just need to step up on Wednesday.”
With a shot at their maiden ICC trophy on the line, South Africa will be determined to make their hard-fought journey count.
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