Chennai Super Kings skipper MS Dhoni became the first captain to lead a side in 300 T20 matches during CSK's Indian Premier League 2021 final clash against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) on Friday (October 15) at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium, Dubai. Apart from Dhoni, Daren Sammy (208) is the only other player to have captained teams in more than 200 T20s. The match against KKR is also the ninth IPL final for Dhoni as a CSK leader.&nbsp;

Reflecting on the same, Dhoni during the toss said, "It's been a long time. We started T20 in around 2005-06 and most of the games have been franchise cricket and in the last five years there have been a lot of T20 games in international cricket as well."

Apart from Dhoni, two other CSK players have also made a milestone in the IPL 2021 final clash and all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja and the South African batter Faf du Plessis are playing their 200th and 100th IPL match, respectively.&nbsp;

ALSO READ | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/virender-sehwag-names-uncapped-indian-star-kkr-should-retain-ahead-of-ipl-mega-auction-421038">Virender Sehwag names uncapped Indian star KKR should retain ahead of IPL mega auction</a>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
We <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Yellove?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Yellove</a> you 300* Thala 💛<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/CSKvKKR?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#CSKvKKR</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WhistlePodu?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WhistlePodu</a> 🦁 <a href="https://t.co/q7wgnxmKTT">pic.twitter.com/q7wgnxmKTT</a>
— Chennai Super Kings - Mask P😷du Whistle P🥳du! (@ChennaiIPL) <a href="https://twitter.com/ChennaiIPL/status/1449004451730059267?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 15, 2021</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
The Super Kings Going Miles together 🦁<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/CSKvKKR?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#CSKvKKR</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WhistlePodu?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WhistlePodu</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Yellove?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Yellove</a> 💛 <a href="https://t.co/fQivdaXwDG">pic.twitter.com/fQivdaXwDG</a>
— Chennai Super Kings - Mask P😷du Whistle P🥳du! (@ChennaiIPL) <a href="https://twitter.com/ChennaiIPL/status/1449009336869527558?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 15, 2021</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/when-manvinder-bisla-tormented-ms-dhoni-co-heres-what-happened-in-last-ipl-final-between-csk-and-kkr-421008">When Manvinder Bisla tormented MS Dhoni &amp; Co.! Here's what happened in last IPL final between CSK and KKR</a>

Du Plessis has been a beast this season, scoring 547 runs in a total of 15 matches. In his entire IPL career, the South African has gathered 2849 runs.

On the other hand, Jadeja has scored 227 runs and snatched 11 wickets in 15 matches this season. In his entire IPL career, the Indian has scored 2386 runs and took 125 wickets.

Chennai Super Kings skipper MS Dhoni became the first captain to lead a side in 300 T20 matches during CSK's Indian Premier League 2021 final clash against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) on Friday (October 15) at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium, Dubai.

Chennai Super Kings skipper MS Dhoni became the first captain to lead a side in 300 T20 matches during CSK's Indian Premier League 2021 final clash against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) on Friday (October 15) at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium, Dubai. Apart from Dhoni, Daren Sammy (208) is the only other player to have captained teams in more than 200 T20s. The match against KKR is also the ninth IPL final for Dhoni as a CSK leader. Reflecting on the same, Dhoni during the toss said, "It's been a long time. We started T20 in around 2005-06 and most of the games have been franchise cricket and in the last five years there have been a lot of T20 games in international cricket as well." Apart from Dhoni, two other CSK players have also made a milestone in the IPL 2021 final clash and all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja and the South African batter Faf du Plessis are playing their 200th and 100th IPL match, respectively. ALSO READ | Virender Sehwag names uncapped Indian star KKR should retain ahead of IPL mega auction We #Yellove you 300* Thala 💛#CSKvKKR #WhistlePodu 🦁 pic.twitter.com/q7wgnxmKTT — Chennai Super Kings - Mask P😷du Whistle P🥳du! (@ChennaiIPL) October 15, 2021 × The Super Kings Going Miles together 🦁#CSKvKKR #WhistlePodu #Yellove 💛 pic.twitter.com/fQivdaXwDG — Chennai Super Kings - Mask P😷du Whistle P🥳du! (@ChennaiIPL) October 15, 2021 × ALSO READ | When Manvinder Bisla tormented MS Dhoni & Co.! Here's what happened in last IPL final between CSK and KKR Du Plessis has been a beast this season, scoring 547 runs in a total of 15 matches. In his entire IPL career, the South African has gathered 2849 runs. On the other hand, Jadeja has scored 227 runs and snatched 11 wickets in 15 matches this season. In his entire IPL career, the Indian has scored 2386 runs and took 125 wickets.

300, 200 and 100: CSK veterans MS Dhoni, Ravindra Jadeja, Faf du Plessis play milestone game in IPL 2021 final

The fastest and the most entertaining format of cricket - the Abu Dhabi T10 League is in readiness to enthral the world in yet another season in November-December this year.

The biggest cricket stars from around the globe, including but notwithstanding Faf du Plessis, Andre Russell, Dwayne Bravo, Eoin Morgan, Jason Roy, Chris Gayle will feature in the fifth season of the one-of-a-kind cricket extravaganza, which will be held from November 19 - December 4, 2021.

With the Abu Dhabi T10 League players draft set to be held, a whopping 1186 players from 26 cricketing nations have put their hands up to have an opportunity to play in one of the most exciting cricket leagues in the world.

With a monument of runs and experience in his career, former South Africa captain Faf du Plessis will take centre stage as the icon player for the Bangla Tigers. The stylish right-hand batsman has proved his firepower with over 6,500 runs in his T20 career.

With over 500 sixes to his name in T20s, the West Indian superstar Andre Russell will feature as the icon player of the Deccan Gladiators. The hard-hitting all-rounder has racked up more than 6,000 runs and 300 wickets in T20s.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/abu-dhabi-t10-records-massive-increase-in-global-audience-reach-announces-sponsors-for-season-5-418191">Abu Dhabi T10 records massive increase in global audience reach, announces sponsors for season 5</a>

Speaking about the power-packed icon player line-up for season 5 of the Abu Dhabi T10 League, Shaji Ul Mulk, Chairman, T10 Sports Management said, "We are absolutely thrilled to have these star players feature as the icon players in the Abu Dhabi T10 League. The league is nothing without its players and fans and therefore we couldn`t be more delighted about welcoming some of the biggest cricket stars to the Abu Dhabi T10 League once again."

"We are absolutely overwhelmed to see the number of cricketers registering for the Abu Dhabi T10 League Players Draft. The talent pool of the Abu Dhabi T10 League grows manifold with each season."Meanwhile, aggressive wicketkeeper-batsman Nicholas Pooran is primed to set the stage on fire as the icon player for the Maratha Arabians. The West Indian has scored over 3,700 runs in T20 cricket along with taking 108 catches and effecting 17 stumpings.

With exuberant hitting and wicket-taking abilities, Liam Livingstone will headline Team Abu Dhabi as its icon player for this season. The English all-rounder has smashed over 3,900 runs and picked up over 50 wickets in T20 cricket.

The hard-hitting opening batsman Jason Roy is all set to show his ball-striking prowess as the icon player of the Delhi Bulls. The Englishman has smacked over 6,600 runs in his T20 career with a strike rate of well over 140.

Experienced campaigner Chris Jordan, who has taken over 250 wickets in his T20 career, will feature as the icon player of the Northern Warriors. The English fast bowler has recorded an impressive bowling average of 27.45 in 243 T20 matches.

The full squads of each of the franchises will be confirmed following the Abu Dhabi T10 League Players Draft on 7 October 2021.

The fastest and the most entertaining format of cricket - the Abu Dhabi T10 League is in readiness to enthral the world in yet another season in November-December this year.

The fastest and the most entertaining format of cricket - the Abu Dhabi T10 League is in readiness to enthral the world in yet another season in November-December this year. The biggest cricket stars from around the globe, including but notwithstanding Faf du Plessis, Andre Russell, Dwayne Bravo, Eoin Morgan, Jason Roy, Chris Gayle will feature in the fifth season of the one-of-a-kind cricket extravaganza, which will be held from November 19 - December 4, 2021. With the Abu Dhabi T10 League players draft set to be held, a whopping 1186 players from 26 cricketing nations have put their hands up to have an opportunity to play in one of the most exciting cricket leagues in the world. With a monument of runs and experience in his career, former South Africa captain Faf du Plessis will take centre stage as the icon player for the Bangla Tigers. The stylish right-hand batsman has proved his firepower with over 6,500 runs in his T20 career. With over 500 sixes to his name in T20s, the West Indian superstar Andre Russell will feature as the icon player of the Deccan Gladiators. The hard-hitting all-rounder has racked up more than 6,000 runs and 300 wickets in T20s. ALSO READ: Abu Dhabi T10 records massive increase in global audience reach, announces sponsors for season 5 Speaking about the power-packed icon player line-up for season 5 of the Abu Dhabi T10 League, Shaji Ul Mulk, Chairman, T10 Sports Management said, "We are absolutely thrilled to have these star players feature as the icon players in the Abu Dhabi T10 League. The league is nothing without its players and fans and therefore we couldn`t be more delighted about welcoming some of the biggest cricket stars to the Abu Dhabi T10 League once again." "We are absolutely overwhelmed to see the number of cricketers registering for the Abu Dhabi T10 League Players Draft. The talent pool of the Abu Dhabi T10 League grows manifold with each season."Meanwhile, aggressive wicketkeeper-batsman Nicholas Pooran is primed to set the stage on fire as the icon player for the Maratha Arabians. The West Indian has scored over 3,700 runs in T20 cricket along with taking 108 catches and effecting 17 stumpings. With exuberant hitting and wicket-taking abilities, Liam Livingstone will headline Team Abu Dhabi as its icon player for this season. The English all-rounder has smashed over 3,900 runs and picked up over 50 wickets in T20 cricket. The hard-hitting opening batsman Jason Roy is all set to show his ball-striking prowess as the icon player of the Delhi Bulls. The Englishman has smacked over 6,600 runs in his T20 career with a strike rate of well over 140. Experienced campaigner Chris Jordan, who has taken over 250 wickets in his T20 career, will feature as the icon player of the Northern Warriors. The English fast bowler has recorded an impressive bowling average of 27.45 in 243 T20 matches. The full squads of each of the franchises will be confirmed following the Abu Dhabi T10 League Players Draft on 7 October 2021.

Abu Dhabi T10 League: Faf du Plessis, Andre Russell confirmed as icon players

Chennai Super Kings (CSK) batsman Faf du Plessis, all-rounder Dwayne Bravo and spinner Imran Tahir have arrived here to join the team bubble ahead of the resumption of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2021.

Du Plessis, Bravo and Tahir all participated in the recently concluded Caribbean Premier League (CPL) 2021 and hence will undergo only two-day isolation before joining the CSK bubble.

"3x the Excitement Fafulous Champion Express," CSK tweeted.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/national-commitment-continues-csk-pay-tribute-as-thala-ms-dhonis-name-crops-up-in-defence-committee-for-ncc-413681">'National Commitment continues' - CSK pay tribute as 'Thala' MS Dhoni's name crops up in defence committee for NCC</a>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
3x the Excitement 💛💛💛 
 
Fafulous Champion Express 🦁🦁🦁<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WhistlePodu?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WhistlePodu</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Yellove?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Yellove</a> <a href="https://t.co/YE3Q921zRy">pic.twitter.com/YE3Q921zRy</a>
— Chennai Super Kings - Mask P😷du Whistle P🥳du! (@ChennaiIPL) <a href="https://twitter.com/ChennaiIPL/status/1438568034680000531?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 16, 2021</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

The 14th season, which was postponed in May this year in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, will resume on Sunday in Dubai with a blockbuster clash between Chennai Super Kings and defending champions Mumbai Indians.

After the CSK-MI clash, the action will then shift to Abu Dhabi where KKR will square off against Royal Challengers Bangalore.

Sharjah will host its first game on September 24 when Royal Challengers Bangalore take on Chennai Super Kings.

In all, 13 matches will be held in Dubai, 10 in Sharjah, and 8 in Abu Dhabi.Meanwhile, IPL will welcome the fans back to the stadiums after a brief hiatus owing to the COVID-19 situation.&nbsp;

Chennai Super Kings (CSK) batsman Faf du Plessis, all-rounder Dwayne Bravo and spinner Imran Tahir have arrived here to join the team bubble ahead of the resumption of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2021.

Chennai Super Kings (CSK) batsman Faf du Plessis, all-rounder Dwayne Bravo and spinner Imran Tahir have arrived here to join the team bubble ahead of the resumption of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2021. Du Plessis, Bravo and Tahir all participated in the recently concluded Caribbean Premier League (CPL) 2021 and hence will undergo only two-day isolation before joining the CSK bubble. "3x the Excitement Fafulous Champion Express," CSK tweeted. ALSO READ | 'National Commitment continues' - CSK pay tribute as 'Thala' MS Dhoni's name crops up in defence committee for NCC 3x the Excitement 💛💛💛 Fafulous Champion Express 🦁🦁🦁#WhistlePodu #Yellove pic.twitter.com/YE3Q921zRy — Chennai Super Kings - Mask P😷du Whistle P🥳du! (@ChennaiIPL) September 16, 2021 × The 14th season, which was postponed in May this year in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, will resume on Sunday in Dubai with a blockbuster clash between Chennai Super Kings and defending champions Mumbai Indians. After the CSK-MI clash, the action will then shift to Abu Dhabi where KKR will square off against Royal Challengers Bangalore. Sharjah will host its first game on September 24 when Royal Challengers Bangalore take on Chennai Super Kings. In all, 13 matches will be held in Dubai, 10 in Sharjah, and 8 in Abu Dhabi.Meanwhile, IPL will welcome the fans back to the stadiums after a brief hiatus owing to the COVID-19 situation.

IPL 2021: Faf du Plessis, Dwayne Bravo, Imran Tahir arrive in Dubai to join CSK

South African batsman Faf du Plessis has been ruled out of Pakistan Super League (PSL) 2021 after colliding with Mohammad Hasnain during a match between Quetta Gladiators and Peshawar Zalmi on June 12. While du Plessis was rushed to hospital after the nasty collision, he has sustained a concussion. Due to the blow, du Plessis has been ruled out of PSL 2021 and will be soon flying back to South Africa.<o:p></o:p>

Du Plessis, in an attempt to save a boundary, collided with teammate Hasnain and sustained a concussion. He even tweeted that he is stable but having some memory loss following the collision. <o:p></o:p>

The development comes as a major blow for Quetta Gladiators as Du Plessis was in red-hot form lately.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/cricket-india-have-reached-wtc-final-by-playing-consistent-cricket-says-ajinkya-rahane-391939" hreflang="en">Cricket: India have reached WTC Final by playing consistent cricket, says Ajinkya Rahane</a><o:p></o:p>

Before PSL 2021, du Plessis played in Indian Premier League (IPL) 2021, which was postponed mid-way on May 4. He was third-leading scorer with 320 runs in seven matches for Chennai Super Kings with the veteran Proteas batter finding form in the shortest format of the game.<o:p></o:p>

Du Plessis, however, got concussed after playing just one match for Quetta Gladiators. Meanwhile, Saim Ayub was named as his concussion replacement for the match but the youngster was dropped from the subsequent game.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/wtc-finals-game-practices-going-to-have-impact-shane-bond-predicts-his-winner-391920" hreflang="en">WTC finals: 'Game practices going to have impact': Shane Bond predicts his winner</a><o:p></o:p>

Quetta Gladiators haven’t enjoyed a stellar campaign in PSL 2021 with just two wins in eight matches. They are lying bottom of PSL 2021 points table. The Sarfaraz Ahmed-led outfit will look to win their remaining two matches in a bid to give them an outside chance to reach the playoffs.<o:p></o:p>

<o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>

South African batsman Faf du Plessis has been ruled out of Pakistan Super League (PSL) 2021 after colliding with Mohammad Hasnain during a match between Quetta Gladiators and Peshawar Zalmi on June 12.

South African batsman Faf du Plessis has been ruled out of Pakistan Super League (PSL) 2021 after colliding with Mohammad Hasnain during a match between Quetta Gladiators and Peshawar Zalmi on June 12. While du Plessis was rushed to hospital after the nasty collision, he has sustained a concussion. Due to the blow, du Plessis has been ruled out of PSL 2021 and will be soon flying back to South Africa. Du Plessis, in an attempt to save a boundary, collided with teammate Hasnain and sustained a concussion. He even tweeted that he is stable but having some memory loss following the collision. The development comes as a major blow for Quetta Gladiators as Du Plessis was in red-hot form lately. ALSO READ: Cricket: India have reached WTC Final by playing consistent cricket, says Ajinkya Rahane Before PSL 2021, du Plessis played in Indian Premier League (IPL) 2021, which was postponed mid-way on May 4. He was third-leading scorer with 320 runs in seven matches for Chennai Super Kings with the veteran Proteas batter finding form in the shortest format of the game. Du Plessis, however, got concussed after playing just one match for Quetta Gladiators. Meanwhile, Saim Ayub was named as his concussion replacement for the match but the youngster was dropped from the subsequent game. ALSO READ: WTC finals: 'Game practices going to have impact': Shane Bond predicts his winner Quetta Gladiators haven’t enjoyed a stellar campaign in PSL 2021 with just two wins in eight matches. They are lying bottom of PSL 2021 points table. The Sarfaraz Ahmed-led outfit will look to win their remaining two matches in a bid to give them an outside chance to reach the playoffs.

Cricket: South Africa's Faf du Plessis ruled out of PSL 2021 after sustaining concussion

South African batsman Faf Du Plessis was rushed to hospital after colliding with Gladiators teammate Mohammad Hasnain in a Pakistan Super League (PSL) 2021 match between Quetta and Peshawar on Saturday.

The collision took place during the 7th over of Peshawar’s innings when David Miller hit the ball towards the long on. Hasnain and Du Plessis ran towards the ball and collided with each other. Hasnain's knee hit South African's head after which Du Plessis fell on the ground.&nbsp;

The Proteas was taken off the field after the incident. According to Pakistan media reports, he was taken to the hospital for further scans due to which he couldn’t return to the field.

Earlier, another Quetta Gladiator player suffered a major blow to the head. West Indies all-rounder Andre Russell suffered a blow on the head while batting for the Gladiators in a PSL 2021 match against Islamabad United on Friday and was stretchered off as the cricketer was feeling uncomfortable.&nbsp;

The Gladiators batsman resumed batting despite the blow, however, was taken in an ambulance for further scans during Islamabad's first over.&nbsp;

Russell was struck on the head in the 14th over by Islamabad medium-pacer Muhammad Musa. The West Indies star had dispatched the ball for back-to-back sixes before suffering a blow.&nbsp;

South African batsman Faf Du Plessis was rushed to hospital after colliding with Gladiators teammate Mohammad Hasnain in a Pakistan Super League (PSL) 2021 match between Quetta and Peshawar on Saturday.

South African batsman Faf Du Plessis was rushed to hospital after colliding with Gladiators teammate Mohammad Hasnain in a Pakistan Super League (PSL) 2021 match between Quetta and Peshawar on Saturday. The collision took place during the 7th over of Peshawar’s innings when David Miller hit the ball towards the long on. Hasnain and Du Plessis ran towards the ball and collided with each other. Hasnain's knee hit South African's head after which Du Plessis fell on the ground. The Proteas was taken off the field after the incident. According to Pakistan media reports, he was taken to the hospital for further scans due to which he couldn’t return to the field. Earlier, another Quetta Gladiator player suffered a major blow to the head. West Indies all-rounder Andre Russell suffered a blow on the head while batting for the Gladiators in a PSL 2021 match against Islamabad United on Friday and was stretchered off as the cricketer was feeling uncomfortable. The Gladiators batsman resumed batting despite the blow, however, was taken in an ambulance for further scans during Islamabad's first over. Russell was struck on the head in the 14th over by Islamabad medium-pacer Muhammad Musa. The West Indies star had dispatched the ball for back-to-back sixes before suffering a blow.

PSL 2021: Faf Du Plessis rushed to hospital after a major collision in a match

Indian Premier League is considered the best T20 league in the world. The cash-rich T20 league features cricketing superstars around the globe in a team. Faf du Plessis, who is one of the stars in the Chennai Super Kings, is set to feature in Pakistan Super League where the South African will play for Quetta Gladiators.&nbsp;

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/cricket-ian-chappell-disagrees-with-manjrekar-explains-why-ashwin-is-among-best-389732">Ian Chappell disagrees with Manjrekar, explains why Ashwin is among best</a>

Du Plessis feels that the PSL offers much better fast bowlers. He said that he was surprised to see a lot of players notching up 140-plus in terms of pace in the PSL.&nbsp;

"The standard is very good in PSL. I must say that the things that's impressed me the most about the tournament is the fast bowlers. Coming from a country like South Africa myself where you grow up facing a lot of pace, I was surprised to see the number of guys that can bowl 140-plus in the competition." he told Cricket Pakistan.&nbsp;

The Proteas further talked about the Indian Premier League and said that it has a huge variety in the department of spinners.&nbsp;

"I would say that in India, there's a huge variety of spin bowlers that you face, I feel that the real gem of the PSL is the amount of pace that it has to offer," du Plessis added.

The 14th edition of the Indian Premier League was postponed after several cases of COVID-19 had emerged inside the bio-secure bubble. Du Plessis talked about his experience of playing in the league amidst the Covid crisis.

"The tournament was well run once again. Everything went smoothly, we felt safe in the bubble, no issues. Then obviously, I think, the travelling part of the IPL is where it opened the gap for Covid to come into the tournament," du Plessis added.

"Very disappointing that another tournament had to be postponed because of it. It was sad in a way. My performances were going well but also the team… Chennai Super Kings was playing some really good cricket. Very disappointing from that part."

Indian Premier League is considered the best T20 league in the world. The cash-rich T20 league features cricketing superstars around the globe in a team. Faf du Plessis, who is one of the stars in the Chennai Super Kings, is set to feature in Pakistan Super League where the South African will play for Quetta Gladiators.

Indian Premier League is considered the best T20 league in the world. The cash-rich T20 league features cricketing superstars around the globe in a team. Faf du Plessis, who is one of the stars in the Chennai Super Kings, is set to feature in Pakistan Super League where the South African will play for Quetta Gladiators. ALSO READ: Ian Chappell disagrees with Manjrekar, explains why Ashwin is among best Du Plessis feels that the PSL offers much better fast bowlers. He said that he was surprised to see a lot of players notching up 140-plus in terms of pace in the PSL. "The standard is very good in PSL. I must say that the things that's impressed me the most about the tournament is the fast bowlers. Coming from a country like South Africa myself where you grow up facing a lot of pace, I was surprised to see the number of guys that can bowl 140-plus in the competition." he told Cricket Pakistan. The Proteas further talked about the Indian Premier League and said that it has a huge variety in the department of spinners. "I would say that in India, there's a huge variety of spin bowlers that you face, I feel that the real gem of the PSL is the amount of pace that it has to offer," du Plessis added. The 14th edition of the Indian Premier League was postponed after several cases of COVID-19 had emerged inside the bio-secure bubble. Du Plessis talked about his experience of playing in the league amidst the Covid crisis. "The tournament was well run once again. Everything went smoothly, we felt safe in the bubble, no issues. Then obviously, I think, the travelling part of the IPL is where it opened the gap for Covid to come into the tournament," du Plessis added. "Very disappointing that another tournament had to be postponed because of it. It was sad in a way. My performances were going well but also the team… Chennai Super Kings was playing some really good cricket. Very disappointing from that part."

Cricket: 'Standard of fast bowlers is very good in PSL', says Faf du Plessis

Chris Gayle, Shakib al Hasan and Faf du Plessis will be playing at the 2021 Caribbean Premier League (CPL) which takes place in St Kitts and Nevis from August 28 to September 19. <o:p></o:p>

Chris Gayle will be back with the St Kitts &amp; Nevis Patriots, a team he played for in 2017 and 2018. Gayle guided the Patriots to their only Hero CPL final in his first year with the franchise. As the leading run-scorer in T20 history, the 'Universe Boss' brings a huge amount of experience to the Patriots squad.&nbsp; <o:p></o:p>

Shakib al Hasan has joined the Jamaica Tallawahs for the 2021 season. This will be the second time that the world’s leading spin-bowling all-rounder has represented the Tallawahs having been with the franchise in 2016 and 2017.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/cricket-deepak-chahar-talks-about-ms-dhonis-best-quality-as-a-captain-387805" hreflang="en">Cricket: Deepak Chahar talks about MS Dhoni's 'best quality as a captain'</a><o:p></o:p>

Faf du Plessis will be playing for the St Lucia Zouks this season. The former South Africa captain has been in outstanding form in recent months for the Chennai Super Kings at the Indian Premier League where he made four consecutive half centuries, including 95 not out against Kolkata Knight Riders. This is his second stint at the Hero CPL having played for the Patriots in 2016. <o:p></o:p>

First started in 2013, the Caribbean Premier League (CPL) is a franchise-based T20 format cricket tournament that combines two of the most compelling aspects of Caribbean life – dramatic cricket and a vibrant Carnival atmosphere.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/cricket-jofra-archer-eyes-t20-world-cup-and-ashes-says-wont-rush-comeback-387756" hreflang="en">Cricket: Jofra Archer eyes T20 World Cup and Ashes, says won't 'rush comeback'</a><o:p></o:p>

Trinbago Knight Riders are the current CPL champions and the other competing teams are Barbados Tridents, Guyana Amazon Warriors, St. Kitts &amp; Nevis Patriots, St Lucia Zouks and Jamaica Tallawahs. The 2021 tournament takes place in St Kitts &amp; Nevis from August 28 to September 19. <o:p></o:p>

Chris Gayle, Shakib al Hasan and Faf du Plessis will be playing at the 2021 Caribbean Premier League (CPL) which takes place in St Kitts and Nevis from August 28 to September 19.

Chris Gayle, Shakib al Hasan and Faf du Plessis will be playing at the 2021 Caribbean Premier League (CPL) which takes place in St Kitts and Nevis from August 28 to September 19. Chris Gayle will be back with the St Kitts & Nevis Patriots, a team he played for in 2017 and 2018. Gayle guided the Patriots to their only Hero CPL final in his first year with the franchise. As the leading run-scorer in T20 history, the 'Universe Boss' brings a huge amount of experience to the Patriots squad. Shakib al Hasan has joined the Jamaica Tallawahs for the 2021 season. This will be the second time that the world’s leading spin-bowling all-rounder has represented the Tallawahs having been with the franchise in 2016 and 2017. ALSO READ: Cricket: Deepak Chahar talks about MS Dhoni's 'best quality as a captain' Faf du Plessis will be playing for the St Lucia Zouks this season. The former South Africa captain has been in outstanding form in recent months for the Chennai Super Kings at the Indian Premier League where he made four consecutive half centuries, including 95 not out against Kolkata Knight Riders. This is his second stint at the Hero CPL having played for the Patriots in 2016. First started in 2013, the Caribbean Premier League (CPL) is a franchise-based T20 format cricket tournament that combines two of the most compelling aspects of Caribbean life – dramatic cricket and a vibrant Carnival atmosphere. ALSO READ: Cricket: Jofra Archer eyes T20 World Cup and Ashes, says won't 'rush comeback' Trinbago Knight Riders are the current CPL champions and the other competing teams are Barbados Tridents, Guyana Amazon Warriors, St. Kitts & Nevis Patriots, St Lucia Zouks and Jamaica Tallawahs. The 2021 tournament takes place in St Kitts & Nevis from August 28 to September 19.

Cricket: Gayle, Shakib and Du Plessis return to Caribbean Premier League

Chennai Super Kings on Wednesday continued their impressive run of form in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2021 as the MS Dhoni-led side registered its fifth win of the tournament by defeating Sunrisers Hyderabad by nine wickets at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi.&nbsp;

While the CSK bowlers looked at the top of their game barring a few blips, openers Ruturaj Gaikwad and Faf du Plessis stole the show by stitching a memorable partnership of 129 runs to take the three-time IPL winners over the winning line.&nbsp;

SRH continued their torrid run in the tournament as they suffered their fifth defeat in six matches. Batting first, SRH lost attacking opener Jonny Bairstow for seven as Sam Curran impressed again.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2021-david-warner-achieves-plethora-of-records-during-match-against-csk-381173" hreflang="en">IPL 2021: David Warner achieves plethora of records during match against CSK</a>

While David Warner and Manish Pandey scored 57 and 61 respectively, the fact that they scored their runs at a strike rate of 103.64 and 132.61 didn’t help the cause. Kane Williamson, 26 not-out off 46, Kedar Jadhav, 12 not-out off 4, tried to accelerate at the end to take SRH to a competitive total of 171/3 in 20 overs.&nbsp;

Chasing 172, Gaikwad and du Plessis continued their good bonding between the sticks and stitched another superb partnership at the top. The 129-run opening partnership eased a lot of pressure off CSK before Rashid Khan removed Gaikwad for 75 off 44 deliveries.&nbsp;

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/wion-exclusive-will-do-more-says-cricketer-pat-cummins-after-covid-donation-to-india-wins-hearts-381135" hreflang="en">WION Exclusive: Will do more, says cricketer Pat Cummins after Covid donation to India wins hearts</a>

Moeen Ali, at 3, played a 15-run cameo off 7 deliveries before skying one off Rashid. The Afghanistan spin maestro, in the successive delivery, sent a well-settled Faf du Plessis to spice up the match and completed his three-wicket haul.

However, Suresh Raina and Ravindra Jadeja took CSK over the line as they won by seven wickets to go atop the points table. 
&nbsp;

Chennai Super Kings on Wednesday continued their impressive run of form in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2021 as the MS Dhoni-led side registered its fifth win of the tournament by defeating Sunrisers Hyderabad by nine wickets at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi.

Chennai Super Kings on Wednesday continued their impressive run of form in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2021 as the MS Dhoni-led side registered its fifth win of the tournament by defeating Sunrisers Hyderabad by nine wickets at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi. While the CSK bowlers looked at the top of their game barring a few blips, openers Ruturaj Gaikwad and Faf du Plessis stole the show by stitching a memorable partnership of 129 runs to take the three-time IPL winners over the winning line. SRH continued their torrid run in the tournament as they suffered their fifth defeat in six matches. Batting first, SRH lost attacking opener Jonny Bairstow for seven as Sam Curran impressed again. ALSO READ: IPL 2021: David Warner achieves plethora of records during match against CSK While David Warner and Manish Pandey scored 57 and 61 respectively, the fact that they scored their runs at a strike rate of 103.64 and 132.61 didn’t help the cause. Kane Williamson, 26 not-out off 46, Kedar Jadhav, 12 not-out off 4, tried to accelerate at the end to take SRH to a competitive total of 171/3 in 20 overs. Chasing 172, Gaikwad and du Plessis continued their good bonding between the sticks and stitched another superb partnership at the top. The 129-run opening partnership eased a lot of pressure off CSK before Rashid Khan removed Gaikwad for 75 off 44 deliveries. ALSO READ: WION Exclusive: Will do more, says cricketer Pat Cummins after Covid donation to India wins hearts Moeen Ali, at 3, played a 15-run cameo off 7 deliveries before skying one off Rashid. The Afghanistan spin maestro, in the successive delivery, sent a well-settled Faf du Plessis to spice up the match and completed his three-wicket haul. However, Suresh Raina and Ravindra Jadeja took CSK over the line as they won by seven wickets to go atop the points table.

Chennai Super Kings continue dominating show in IPL 2021, defeat SRH by 7 wickets

From Maxwell to Dhawan: Five players who have rocked IPL 2021 so far

Chennai Super Kings continue their dominance as they beat Kolkata Knight Riders by 18 runs in match 15 of the Indian Premier League at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai.&nbsp;

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/i-think-my-captaincy-is-going-great-rishabh-pant-on-leading-delhi-capitals-379095" hreflang="en">'I think my captaincy is going great': Rishabh Pant on leading Delhi Capitals</a>

Kolkata Knight Riders won the toss and chose to bowl first. However, the decision backfired as the opening duo of CSK (Gaikwad and du Plessis) put up a 115-run partnership. Faf du Plessis smashed 95 runs in 60 balls, followed by Gaikwad who scored 64 runs in 42 balls. Moeen Ali, MS Dhoni, and Ravindra Jadeja's cameo powered Chennai Super Kings to 220 runs at the end of the innings.&nbsp;

KKR, on the other hand, had a terrible start as their batsmen kept falling cheaply. At one moment, KKR were certainly down and out as they were reduced to 31-5. However, last-minute heroics from Pat Cummins, Dinesh Karthik, and Andre Russell kept KKR in the game.&nbsp;

Pat Cummins smashed 30 runs off Sam Curran's over was the highest this season. The Aussie smashed unbeaten 66 runs in 34 runs including four 4s and six 6s. However, he fell short as he ran out of partners as last-minute run outs bundled KKR out. Deepak Chahar scalped four crucial wickets and conceded just 29 runs.

Chennai Super Kings go on top of the table after an all-around performance and the best net run-rate. Despite their last-minute heroics, they sit in the sixth position. &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;

Chennai Super Kings continue their dominance as they beat Kolkata Knight Riders by 18 runs in match 15 of the Indian Premier League at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai.

Chennai Super Kings continue their dominance as they beat Kolkata Knight Riders by 18 runs in match 15 of the Indian Premier League at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. ALSO READ: 'I think my captaincy is going great': Rishabh Pant on leading Delhi Capitals Kolkata Knight Riders won the toss and chose to bowl first. However, the decision backfired as the opening duo of CSK (Gaikwad and du Plessis) put up a 115-run partnership. Faf du Plessis smashed 95 runs in 60 balls, followed by Gaikwad who scored 64 runs in 42 balls. Moeen Ali, MS Dhoni, and Ravindra Jadeja's cameo powered Chennai Super Kings to 220 runs at the end of the innings. KKR, on the other hand, had a terrible start as their batsmen kept falling cheaply. At one moment, KKR were certainly down and out as they were reduced to 31-5. However, last-minute heroics from Pat Cummins, Dinesh Karthik, and Andre Russell kept KKR in the game. Pat Cummins smashed 30 runs off Sam Curran's over was the highest this season. The Aussie smashed unbeaten 66 runs in 34 runs including four 4s and six 6s. However, he fell short as he ran out of partners as last-minute run outs bundled KKR out. Deepak Chahar scalped four crucial wickets and conceded just 29 runs. Chennai Super Kings go on top of the table after an all-around performance and the best net run-rate. Despite their last-minute heroics, they sit in the sixth position.

IPL 2021: Chennai Super Kings go on top as they beat Kolkata Knight Riders

IPL 2021- Deepak Chahar's fiery spell ensures Chennai Super Kings' victory over Punjab Kings

Chennai Super Kings open their account in the Indian Premier League 2021 after beating Punjab Kings by --- wickets in Match 9 at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai.&nbsp;

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2021-sunrisers-hyderabad-star-kane-williamson-to-be-fully-fit-within-a-week-377982" hreflang="en">IPL 2021- Sunrisers Hyderabad star Kane Williamson to be fully fit 'within a week'</a>

Chennai Super Kings won the toss and chose to bowl. The decision immediately paid off as Deepak Chahar was off to a fiery start. The bowler dismantled Punjab Kings' top order within the powerplay.&nbsp;

Mayank Agarwal and Nicholas Pooran were out for a nought as Gayle and Hooda scored 10 runs each. Skipper KL Rahul became the victim of Ravindra Jadeja's brilliant fielding as the in-form skipper was run out while batting on 5 runs.&nbsp;

There were no such partnership in the Punjab Kings innings as the wickets kept tumbling. However, newbie Shahrukh Khan played a crucial knock to take Punjab, who were once at 26/5 to a 100+ score. The batsman was three runs short of smashing his maiden half-century before getting dismissed by Sam Curran. Chennai bowlers did not have to do much and restricted the Punjab Kings to 106 at the end of the 20 overs.&nbsp;

Chennai Super Kings, on the other hand, did not face much of a challenge. They lost Ruturaj Gaikwad early in the powerplay itself.&nbsp;

However, a 66-run partnership of Faf du Plessis and Moeen Ali landed a fatal blow to the Punjab Kings.&nbsp;

Despite losing few wickets in the latter stages, Dhoni and Co. registered a thumping victory to open their account in IPL 2021 and this surely will boost their morale. With this win, CSK go to the second&nbsp;position pushing SRH to the bottom of the table, whereas, Punjab Kings slip to the seventh&nbsp;spot.&nbsp;

Chennai Super Kings open their account in the Indian Premier League 2021 after beating Punjab Kings by --- wickets in Match 9 at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. ALSO READ: IPL 2021- Sunrisers Hyderabad star Kane Williamson to be fully fit 'within a week' Chennai Super Kings won the toss and chose to bowl.

Chennai Super Kings open their account in the Indian Premier League 2021 after beating Punjab Kings by --- wickets in Match 9 at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. ALSO READ: IPL 2021- Sunrisers Hyderabad star Kane Williamson to be fully fit 'within a week' Chennai Super Kings won the toss and chose to bowl. The decision immediately paid off as Deepak Chahar was off to a fiery start. The bowler dismantled Punjab Kings' top order within the powerplay. Mayank Agarwal and Nicholas Pooran were out for a nought as Gayle and Hooda scored 10 runs each. Skipper KL Rahul became the victim of Ravindra Jadeja's brilliant fielding as the in-form skipper was run out while batting on 5 runs. There were no such partnership in the Punjab Kings innings as the wickets kept tumbling. However, newbie Shahrukh Khan played a crucial knock to take Punjab, who were once at 26/5 to a 100+ score. The batsman was three runs short of smashing his maiden half-century before getting dismissed by Sam Curran. Chennai bowlers did not have to do much and restricted the Punjab Kings to 106 at the end of the 20 overs. Chennai Super Kings, on the other hand, did not face much of a challenge. They lost Ruturaj Gaikwad early in the powerplay itself. However, a 66-run partnership of Faf du Plessis and Moeen Ali landed a fatal blow to the Punjab Kings. Despite losing few wickets in the latter stages, Dhoni and Co. registered a thumping victory to open their account in IPL 2021 and this surely will boost their morale. With this win, CSK go to the second position pushing SRH to the bottom of the table, whereas, Punjab Kings slip to the seventh spot.

IPL 2021- Chahar and Moeen shine as Chennai Super Kings beat Punjab Kings

Former Proteas skipper Faf du Plessis announced his retirement from Test cricket on Wednesday. The South African batsman took to Instagram to share this news with his fans.&nbsp;

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/jasprit-bumrah-most-likely-to-be-rested-for-white-ball-series-against-england-reports-364183" hreflang="en">Jasprit Bumrah most likely to be rested for white-ball series against England: Reports</a>

"My heart is clear and the time is right to walk into a new chapter," du Plessis wrote in his post.&nbsp;

"It has been a year of refinement in the fire for us all. Uncertain were the times, but they brought clarity for me in many respects. My heart is clear and the time is right to walk Into a new chapter. It has been an honour to play for my country in all the formats of the game, but the time has come for me to retire from Test cricket," du Plessis wrote in his retirement statement.

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CLYYrqHlrjf/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="13" style=" background:#FFF; border:0; border-radius:3px; box-shadow:0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width:540px; min-width:326px; padding:0; width:99.375%; width:-webkit-calc(100% - 2px); width:calc(100% - 2px);">
<div style="padding:16px;">
<div style=" display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;">
<div style="background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;">&nbsp;</div>

<div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;">
<div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;">&nbsp;</div>

<div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;">&nbsp;</div>
</div>
</div>

<div style="padding: 19% 0;">&nbsp;</div>

<div style="display:block; height:50px; margin:0 auto 12px; width:50px;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CLYYrqHlrjf/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" style=" background:#FFFFFF; line-height:0; padding:0 0; text-align:center; text-decoration:none; width:100%;" target="_blank"><svg height="50px" version="1.1" viewbox="0 0 60 60" width="50px" xmlns="https://www.w3.org/2000/svg" xmlns:xlink="https://www.w3.org/1999/xlink"><g fill="none" fill-rule="evenodd" stroke="none" stroke-width="1"><g fill="#000000" transform="translate(-511.000000, -20.000000)"><g><path d="M556.869,30.41 C554.814,30.41 553.148,32.076 553.148,34.131 C553.148,36.186 554.814,37.852 556.869,37.852 C558.924,37.852 560.59,36.186 560.59,34.131 C560.59,32.076 558.924,30.41 556.869,30.41 M541,60.657 C535.114,60.657 530.342,55.887 530.342,50 C530.342,44.114 535.114,39.342 541,39.342 C546.887,39.342 551.658,44.114 551.658,50 C551.658,55.887 546.887,60.657 541,60.657 M541,33.886 C532.1,33.886 524.886,41.1 524.886,50 C524.886,58.899 532.1,66.113 541,66.113 C549.9,66.113 557.115,58.899 557.115,50 C557.115,41.1 549.9,33.886 541,33.886 M565.378,62.101 C565.244,65.022 564.756,66.606 564.346,67.663 C563.803,69.06 563.154,70.057 562.106,71.106 C561.058,72.155 560.06,72.803 558.662,73.347 C557.607,73.757 556.021,74.244 553.102,74.378 C549.944,74.521 548.997,74.552 541,74.552 C533.003,74.552 532.056,74.521 528.898,74.378 C525.979,74.244 524.393,73.757 523.338,73.347 C521.94,72.803 520.942,72.155 519.894,71.106 C518.846,70.057 518.197,69.06 517.654,67.663 C517.244,66.606 516.755,65.022 516.623,62.101 C516.479,58.943 516.448,57.996 516.448,50 C516.448,42.003 516.479,41.056 516.623,37.899 C516.755,34.978 517.244,33.391 517.654,32.338 C518.197,30.938 518.846,29.942 519.894,28.894 C520.942,27.846 521.94,27.196 523.338,26.654 C524.393,26.244 525.979,25.756 528.898,25.623 C532.057,25.479 533.004,25.448 541,25.448 C548.997,25.448 549.943,25.479 553.102,25.623 C556.021,25.756 557.607,26.244 558.662,26.654 C560.06,27.196 561.058,27.846 562.106,28.894 C563.154,29.942 563.803,30.938 564.346,32.338 C564.756,33.391 565.244,34.978 565.378,37.899 C565.522,41.056 565.552,42.003 565.552,50 C565.552,57.996 565.522,58.943 565.378,62.101 M570.82,37.631 C570.674,34.438 570.167,32.258 569.425,30.349 C568.659,28.377 567.633,26.702 565.965,25.035 C564.297,23.368 562.623,22.342 560.652,21.575 C558.743,20.834 556.562,20.326 553.369,20.18 C550.169,20.033 549.148,20 541,20 C532.853,20 531.831,20.033 528.631,20.18 C525.438,20.326 523.257,20.834 521.349,21.575 C519.376,22.342 517.703,23.368 516.035,25.035 C514.368,26.702 513.342,28.377 512.574,30.349 C511.834,32.258 511.326,34.438 511.181,37.631 C511.035,40.831 511,41.851 511,50 C511,58.147 511.035,59.17 511.181,62.369 C511.326,65.562 511.834,67.743 512.574,69.651 C513.342,71.625 514.368,73.296 516.035,74.965 C517.703,76.634 519.376,77.658 521.349,78.425 C523.257,79.167 525.438,79.673 528.631,79.82 C531.831,79.965 532.853,80.001 541,80.001 C549.148,80.001 550.169,79.965 553.369,79.82 C556.562,79.673 558.743,79.167 560.652,78.425 C562.623,77.658 564.297,76.634 565.965,74.965 C567.633,73.296 568.659,71.625 569.425,69.651 C570.167,67.743 570.674,65.562 570.82,62.369 C570.966,59.17 571,58.147 571,50 C571,41.851 570.966,40.831 570.82,37.631"></path></g></g></g></svg></a></div>

<div style="padding-top: 8px;">
<div style=" color:#3897f0; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:550; line-height:18px;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CLYYrqHlrjf/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" style=" background:#FFFFFF; line-height:0; padding:0 0; text-align:center; text-decoration:none; width:100%;" target="_blank">View this post on Instagram</a></div>
</div>

<div style="padding: 12.5% 0;">&nbsp;</div>

<div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;">
<div>
<div style="background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);">&nbsp;</div>

<div style="background-color: #F4F4F4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;">&nbsp;</div>

<div style="background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);">&nbsp;</div>
</div>

<div style="margin-left: 8px;">
<div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;">&nbsp;</div>

<div style=" width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg)">&nbsp;</div>
</div>

<div style="margin-left: auto;">
<div style=" width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);">&nbsp;</div>

<div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);">&nbsp;</div>

<div style=" width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);">&nbsp;</div>
</div>
</div>

<div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;">
<div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;">&nbsp;</div>

<div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;">&nbsp;</div>
</div>

<p style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px; margin-bottom:0; margin-top:8px; overflow:hidden; padding:8px 0 7px; text-align:center; text-overflow:ellipsis; white-space:nowrap;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CLYYrqHlrjf/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none;" target="_blank">A post shared by Faf du plessis (@fafdup)</a>
</div>
</blockquote>
<script async src="//www.instagram.com/embed.js"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

"If someone had told me 15 years ago, that I would play 69 Test matches for South Africa and captain the side, I wouldn't have believed them. I stand in a place of utmost gratitude for a test career full of blessings bestowed on me. Every high and low has shaped me into the man I am proud to stand as today. In all things, those instances worked towards the good of who I believe I am today."

According to du Plessis, the cricketer has decided to retire from the longest format to focus on upcoming editions of the T20 World Cup in 2021 and 2022.

"The next two years are ICC T20 World cup years. Because of this, my focus is shifting to this format and I want to play as much of it as possible around the world so that I can be the best player I can possibly be. I strongly believe that I have a lot to offer to the Proteas in this format. This does not mean that ODI cricket is no longer in the plans, I'm just making T20 cricket the priority in the short-term," wrote du Plessis.

"I will be in conversation with CSA over the next couple of months on what the future might look like for me over the next year to find a solution that works for both of us.

IN PICS|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/from-ms-dhoni-to-yuvraj-singh-costliest-picks-in-every-ipl-auctions-364071" hreflang="en">From MS Dhoni to Yuvraj Singh: Costliest picks in every IPL auctions</a>

"For now, I would like to take this opportunity to thank each and every person who had an influence on my Test career. I would like to single out my wife and family in particular - I would not have been able to do without their support during the unforgettable journey that Test cricket has taken me on, To my coaches, teammates and support staff over the years, I would you like to give a note of thanks and of course, to Cricket South Africa for the opportunity to be able to represent and lead my country in the pinnacle of the game we all love. It has been an incredible journey, with many stories that I look forward to one-day sharing."

Faf featured in 69 Tests for his country, where he scored 4,163 runs at an average of 40. The former skipper also has 10 centuries and 21 half-centuries in the format.&nbsp;

His highest individual score in Test cricket came against Sri Lanka, last year, where the Proteas scored 199 runs.

Former Proteas skipper Faf du Plessis announced his retirement from Test cricket on Wednesday. The South African batsman took to Instagram to share this news with his fans.

Former Proteas skipper Faf du Plessis announced his retirement from Test cricket on Wednesday. The South African batsman took to Instagram to share this news with his fans. ALSO READ: Jasprit Bumrah most likely to be rested for white-ball series against England: Reports "My heart is clear and the time is right to walk into a new chapter," du Plessis wrote in his post. "It has been a year of refinement in the fire for us all. Uncertain were the times, but they brought clarity for me in many respects. My heart is clear and the time is right to walk Into a new chapter. It has been an honour to play for my country in all the formats of the game, but the time has come for me to retire from Test cricket," du Plessis wrote in his retirement statement. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Faf du plessis (@fafdup) × "If someone had told me 15 years ago, that I would play 69 Test matches for South Africa and captain the side, I wouldn't have believed them. I stand in a place of utmost gratitude for a test career full of blessings bestowed on me. Every high and low has shaped me into the man I am proud to stand as today. In all things, those instances worked towards the good of who I believe I am today." According to du Plessis, the cricketer has decided to retire from the longest format to focus on upcoming editions of the T20 World Cup in 2021 and 2022. "The next two years are ICC T20 World cup years. Because of this, my focus is shifting to this format and I want to play as much of it as possible around the world so that I can be the best player I can possibly be. I strongly believe that I have a lot to offer to the Proteas in this format. This does not mean that ODI cricket is no longer in the plans, I'm just making T20 cricket the priority in the short-term," wrote du Plessis. "I will be in conversation with CSA over the next couple of months on what the future might look like for me over the next year to find a solution that works for both of us. IN PICS| From MS Dhoni to Yuvraj Singh: Costliest picks in every IPL auctions "For now, I would like to take this opportunity to thank each and every person who had an influence on my Test career. I would like to single out my wife and family in particular - I would not have been able to do without their support during the unforgettable journey that Test cricket has taken me on, To my coaches, teammates and support staff over the years, I would you like to give a note of thanks and of course, to Cricket South Africa for the opportunity to be able to represent and lead my country in the pinnacle of the game we all love. It has been an incredible journey, with many stories that I look forward to one-day sharing." Faf featured in 69 Tests for his country, where he scored 4,163 runs at an average of 40. The former skipper also has 10 centuries and 21 half-centuries in the format. His highest individual score in Test cricket came against Sri Lanka, last year, where the Proteas scored 199 runs.

Former South African captain Faf du Plessis retires from Test cricket

South Africa has decided to rest one of their in-form players ahead of the One Day International series against England on Friday.&nbsp;

Former Proteas skipper Faf du Plessis was left out in the squad after competing in the Twenty20 games against England, which the visitors swept 3-0, and in the Indian Premier League for the Chennai Super Kings.

The 36-year-old player retired from Test cricket earlier this year. He now will join Kagiso Rabada, who suffered an adductor injury earlier this week and will only return later this month for the test series against Sri Lanka.

Bjorn Fortuin, Reeza Hendricks and Pite van Biljon were also all released from the squad on Thursday as the numbers were reduced to 18.

Squad:

Quinton de Kock (captain), Temba Bavuma, Junior Dala, Beuran Hendricks, Heinrich Klaasen, George Linde, Keshav Maharaj, Janneman Malan, David Miller, Lungi Ngidi, Anrich Nortje, Andile Phehlukwayo, Tabraiz Shamsi, Lutho Sipamla, Jon- Jon Smuts, Glenton Stuurman, Rassie van der Dussen, Kyle Verreynne.

Earlier, England's limited-overs captain Eoin Morgan on Thursday defended the cryptic signals and information received from video analyst Nathan Leamon during the third T20I against South Africa in Cape Town while adding that he would continue to make use of signals from the team balcony.

Leamon, England’s video analyst, was seen showing images of numbers are letters from England team’s balcony during the third T20I against South Africa – a move that has raised question marks from the cricket fraternity.

"There have been no real signals," said Morgan.&nbsp;

"There has always been constant communication, verbal or physical, from the change room to us the field to help improve my decisions as captain and Jos Buttler’s decisions as vice-captain,” said Morgan.

South Africa has decided to rest one of their in-form players ahead of the One Day International series against England on Friday. Former Proteas skipper Faf du Plessis was left out in the squad after competing in the Twenty20 games against England, which the visitors swept 3-0, and in the Indian Premier League for the Chennai Super Kings.

South Africa has decided to rest one of their in-form players ahead of the One Day International series against England on Friday. Former Proteas skipper Faf du Plessis was left out in the squad after competing in the Twenty20 games against England, which the visitors swept 3-0, and in the Indian Premier League for the Chennai Super Kings. The 36-year-old player retired from Test cricket earlier this year. He now will join Kagiso Rabada, who suffered an adductor injury earlier this week and will only return later this month for the test series against Sri Lanka. Bjorn Fortuin, Reeza Hendricks and Pite van Biljon were also all released from the squad on Thursday as the numbers were reduced to 18. Squad: Quinton de Kock (captain), Temba Bavuma, Junior Dala, Beuran Hendricks, Heinrich Klaasen, George Linde, Keshav Maharaj, Janneman Malan, David Miller, Lungi Ngidi, Anrich Nortje, Andile Phehlukwayo, Tabraiz Shamsi, Lutho Sipamla, Jon- Jon Smuts, Glenton Stuurman, Rassie van der Dussen, Kyle Verreynne. Earlier, England's limited-overs captain Eoin Morgan on Thursday defended the cryptic signals and information received from video analyst Nathan Leamon during the third T20I against South Africa in Cape Town while adding that he would continue to make use of signals from the team balcony. Leamon, England’s video analyst, was seen showing images of numbers are letters from England team’s balcony during the third T20I against South Africa – a move that has raised question marks from the cricket fraternity. "There have been no real signals," said Morgan. "There has always been constant communication, verbal or physical, from the change room to us the field to help improve my decisions as captain and Jos Buttler’s decisions as vice-captain,” said Morgan.

South Africa to rest ex-skipper Du Plessis against England for ODI series

India's former batting coach Sanjay Bangar said that MS Dhoni might hand over his captaincy in the upcoming IPL season and represent Chennai Super Kings as a player.&nbsp;

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/indian-cricketer-krunal-pandya-detained-at-mumbai-airport-342783" hreflang="en">Indian Cricketer Krunal Pandya detained at Mumbai airport</a>

In the recent episode of Star Sports' show Cricket Connected, Sanjay Bangar and Irfan Pathan discussed Chennai's strategies for IPL 2021 so that they don't repeat the 2020 debacle.&nbsp;

Pathan was asked if he sees MS Dhoni preparing someone to take over the CSK captaincy and if he has any such player in mind. Being a CSK player in the past, Irfan said that he can't think of anyone at the moment. Former India player went on to say that Dhoni will return to IPL 2021 "better prepared with more emphasis on fitness."

Irfan said: "As of now, I am not getting any such player in my mind. The next year I am seeing that MS Dhoni will come, there is only a gap of few months between this season and the next season, which means he will come better prepared with more emphasis on fitness."

However, Bangar believed that Dhoni might hand over his captaincy to Faf du Plessis as he in the past handed his reigns of India team to Virat at the right time.&nbsp;

Bangar said: "As far as I know, MS Dhoni might have thought after 2011 if he should be continuing to captain the Indian team but he knew that India had quite a few tough encounters after that, we had to go and play in England and Australia and at that time there was no captaincy candidate ready, so he only handled that burden and at the right time he handed over the captaincy to Virat Kohli and he also played after that."

"So as far as I can understand, I feel that MS Dhoni may not be the captain next year and may play as a player and give the captaincy at this stage to Faf du Plessis for the transition to happen under Faf du Plessis," Sanjay Bangar added.&nbsp;

India's former batting coach Sanjay Bangar said that MS Dhoni might hand over his captaincy in the upcoming IPL season and represent Chennai Super Kings as a player.

India's former batting coach Sanjay Bangar said that MS Dhoni might hand over his captaincy in the upcoming IPL season and represent Chennai Super Kings as a player. Also read: Indian Cricketer Krunal Pandya detained at Mumbai airport In the recent episode of Star Sports' show Cricket Connected, Sanjay Bangar and Irfan Pathan discussed Chennai's strategies for IPL 2021 so that they don't repeat the 2020 debacle. Pathan was asked if he sees MS Dhoni preparing someone to take over the CSK captaincy and if he has any such player in mind. Being a CSK player in the past, Irfan said that he can't think of anyone at the moment. Former India player went on to say that Dhoni will return to IPL 2021 "better prepared with more emphasis on fitness." Irfan said: "As of now, I am not getting any such player in my mind. The next year I am seeing that MS Dhoni will come, there is only a gap of few months between this season and the next season, which means he will come better prepared with more emphasis on fitness." However, Bangar believed that Dhoni might hand over his captaincy to Faf du Plessis as he in the past handed his reigns of India team to Virat at the right time. Bangar said: "As far as I know, MS Dhoni might have thought after 2011 if he should be continuing to captain the Indian team but he knew that India had quite a few tough encounters after that, we had to go and play in England and Australia and at that time there was no captaincy candidate ready, so he only handled that burden and at the right time he handed over the captaincy to Virat Kohli and he also played after that." "So as far as I can understand, I feel that MS Dhoni may not be the captain next year and may play as a player and give the captaincy at this stage to Faf du Plessis for the transition to happen under Faf du Plessis," Sanjay Bangar added.

IPL 2021: 'I feel that MS Dhoni may not be the captain next year'- Sanjay Bangar

Shane Watson struck form with a blazing 83 in an unbeaten opening partnership of 181 with Faf du Plessis as Chennai Super Kings thrashed Kings XI Punjab by 10 wickets in the Indian Premier League on Sunday.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2020-mumbai-indians-go-on-top-of-ipl-table-after-thrashing-srh-by-34-runs-332494" hreflang="en">IPL 2020: Mumbai Indians go on top of IPL table after thrashing SRH by 34 runs</a>

The 39-year-old Watson hit his first half-century of the season and combined with Du Plessis, who smashed 87, to lead Chennai past Punjab's 178 for four in Dubai.

The partnership was Chennai's best opening stand in the Twenty20 tournament as the Mahendra Singh Dhoni-led team bounced back after three losses in the United Arab Emirates.

"Watson was looking good in the nets. But what you want is to replicate that. It was just a matter of time that he gets going," Dhoni said of the veteran Australian, who had scores of four, 33, 14 and one coming into the game.

"Faf is like a sheet anchor for us. He can always confuse the bowlers with shots like the lap shot. They compliment each other well."

Three-time IPL winners Chennai are known to stick with their veteran players despite the team being labelled as the 'Dads army' by the media.

Watson, who smashed 11 fours and three sixes in his 53-ball knock, said Chennai's policy to never panic.

"With so much experience and success the franchise's had, they believe in the players," he said. "Never any panic stations with CSK."

Shane Watson struck form with a blazing 83 in an unbeaten opening partnership of 181 with Faf du Plessis as Chennai Super Kings thrashed Kings XI Punjab by 10 wickets in the Indian Premier League on Sunday.

Shane Watson struck form with a blazing 83 in an unbeaten opening partnership of 181 with Faf du Plessis as Chennai Super Kings thrashed Kings XI Punjab by 10 wickets in the Indian Premier League on Sunday. Also read: IPL 2020: Mumbai Indians go on top of IPL table after thrashing SRH by 34 runs The 39-year-old Watson hit his first half-century of the season and combined with Du Plessis, who smashed 87, to lead Chennai past Punjab's 178 for four in Dubai. The partnership was Chennai's best opening stand in the Twenty20 tournament as the Mahendra Singh Dhoni-led team bounced back after three losses in the United Arab Emirates. "Watson was looking good in the nets. But what you want is to replicate that. It was just a matter of time that he gets going," Dhoni said of the veteran Australian, who had scores of four, 33, 14 and one coming into the game. "Faf is like a sheet anchor for us. He can always confuse the bowlers with shots like the lap shot. They compliment each other well." Three-time IPL winners Chennai are known to stick with their veteran players despite the team being labelled as the 'Dads army' by the media. Watson, who smashed 11 fours and three sixes in his 53-ball knock, said Chennai's policy to never panic. "With so much experience and success the franchise's had, they believe in the players," he said. "Never any panic stations with CSK."

IPL 2020: Watson, Du Plessis lead Chennai to 10-wicket win against KXIP

"All lives don't matter until black lives matter," former South Africa captain and star batsman Faf du Plessis said on Friday, lending support to the fight against racism that has gripped the world with renewed vigour after African-American George Floyd's death.

Offering his views on the 'Black Lives Matter' movement, which found support in the ongoing England-West Indies Test series where players from both sides took a knee in the opening match, du Plessis said time has come to fight racism head on.

"In the last couple of months I have realised that we must choose our battles. We are surrounded by many injustices in our country that require urgent attention and action to fix them," the 36-year-old du Plessis posted on instagram.

Floyd became a symbol of the anti-racism movement after he was killed at the hands of a white police officer in Minneapolis, triggering widespread protests across the US and the world.

"So I've remained silent, with the intent to listen, but not respond. Slowing down my point of view, but quicker to hear the pain of someone else. I surrender my opinions and take the knee as an intercessor.

"I acknowledge that South Africa is still hugely divided by racism and it is my personal responsibility to do my best to emphasize, hear the stories, learn and then be part of the solution with my thoughts, words and actions," du Plessis added.

This is in stark contrast to his past stance of rejecting talk of racism. He had said that "we don't see colour" when asked about Temba Bavuma's axing earlier this year.

"I have gotten it wrong before. Good intentions were failed by a lack of perspective when I said on a platform that - I don't see colour. In my ignorance I silenced the struggles of others by placing my own view on it," du Plessis said.

"A race problem is a human race problem, if one part of the body hurts ,we all stop, we empathize, we get perspective, we learn and then we tend to the hurting part of the body."

His teammate and pacer Lungi Ngidi has stated that the team will discuss a way to support the BLM movement when it has a chance at a group discussion. The players have restarted training after a prolonged break caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Du Plessis said the BLM movement has his full support.

"So I am saying that all lives don't matter UNTIL black lives matter. I'm speaking up now, because if I wait to be perfect, I never will. I want to leave a legacy of empathy," he said.

"The work needs to continue for the change to come and whether we agree or disagree, conversation is the vehicle for change," he added.

"All lives don't matter until black lives matter," former South Africa captain and star batsman Faf du Plessis said on Friday, lending support to the fight against racism that has gripped the world with renewed vigour after African-American George Floyd's death.

"All lives don't matter until black lives matter," former South Africa captain and star batsman Faf du Plessis said on Friday, lending support to the fight against racism that has gripped the world with renewed vigour after African-American George Floyd's death. Offering his views on the 'Black Lives Matter' movement, which found support in the ongoing England-West Indies Test series where players from both sides took a knee in the opening match, du Plessis said time has come to fight racism head on. "In the last couple of months I have realised that we must choose our battles. We are surrounded by many injustices in our country that require urgent attention and action to fix them," the 36-year-old du Plessis posted on instagram. Floyd became a symbol of the anti-racism movement after he was killed at the hands of a white police officer in Minneapolis, triggering widespread protests across the US and the world. "So I've remained silent, with the intent to listen, but not respond. Slowing down my point of view, but quicker to hear the pain of someone else. I surrender my opinions and take the knee as an intercessor. "I acknowledge that South Africa is still hugely divided by racism and it is my personal responsibility to do my best to emphasize, hear the stories, learn and then be part of the solution with my thoughts, words and actions," du Plessis added. This is in stark contrast to his past stance of rejecting talk of racism. He had said that "we don't see colour" when asked about Temba Bavuma's axing earlier this year. "I have gotten it wrong before. Good intentions were failed by a lack of perspective when I said on a platform that - I don't see colour. In my ignorance I silenced the struggles of others by placing my own view on it," du Plessis said. "A race problem is a human race problem, if one part of the body hurts ,we all stop, we empathize, we get perspective, we learn and then we tend to the hurting part of the body." His teammate and pacer Lungi Ngidi has stated that the team will discuss a way to support the BLM movement when it has a chance at a group discussion. The players have restarted training after a prolonged break caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Du Plessis said the BLM movement has his full support. "So I am saying that all lives don't matter UNTIL black lives matter. I'm speaking up now, because if I wait to be perfect, I never will. I want to leave a legacy of empathy," he said. "The work needs to continue for the change to come and whether we agree or disagree, conversation is the vehicle for change," he added.

All lives don't matter until black lives matter: Faf Du Plessis

Veteran South African batsman and former Proteas skipper Faf du Plessis has suggested a two-week isolation period, for players, before and after the ICC T20 World Cup, scheduled to be hosted by Australia in October-November 2020.&nbsp;

Cricket, like every other sport, has come to a screeching halt due to COVID-19 pandemic with uncertainty mounting over the future of the T20 World Cup.&nbsp;

In an interaction with Bangladesh’s ODI skipper Tamim Iqbal, du Plessis said international travel is going to be a major concern for the authorities especially while bringing players from Bangladesh, South Africa or India where the virus has spread rapidly.&nbsp;

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/setting-goals-for-each-series-rohit-sharma-reveals-his-success-mantra-298630" hreflang="en">'Setting goals for each series...'- Rohit Sharma reveals his success mantra</a>

"I am not sure... Reading that travelling is going to be an issue for lot of countries and they are talking about December or January. Even if Australia is not affected like other countries, to get people from Bangladesh, South Africa or India where there is more danger, obviously it's a health risk to them," du Plessis said.

"But you can go in before the tournament (for) two weeks isolation and then play the tournament and afterwards two weeks isolation," said the former Proteas captain.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/shoaib-akhtar-reacts-after-being-hilariously-trolled-by-icc-over-steve-smith-tweet-298604" hreflang="en">Shoaib Akhtar reacts after being hilariously trolled by ICC over Steve Smith tweet</a>

Du Plessis joked that he doesn’t know when South Africa will lift their travel restrictions while adding players can’t travel on boats.&nbsp;

"But I don't know when South Africa will open their travel ban because we can't go there like old days on boats," du Plessis said.

In March, South Africa’s three-match ODI series against India was called off due to the outbreak of the deadly virus. The COVID-19 has infected more than 44 lakh people worldwide while causing close to 3 lakh deaths. 
&nbsp;

Veteran South African batsman and former Proteas skipper Faf du Plessis has suggested a two-week isolation period, for players, before and after the ICC T20 World Cup, scheduled to be hosted by Australia in October-November 2020.

Veteran South African batsman and former Proteas skipper Faf du Plessis has suggested a two-week isolation period, for players, before and after the ICC T20 World Cup, scheduled to be hosted by Australia in October-November 2020. Cricket, like every other sport, has come to a screeching halt due to COVID-19 pandemic with uncertainty mounting over the future of the T20 World Cup. In an interaction with Bangladesh’s ODI skipper Tamim Iqbal, du Plessis said international travel is going to be a major concern for the authorities especially while bringing players from Bangladesh, South Africa or India where the virus has spread rapidly. ALSO READ: 'Setting goals for each series...'- Rohit Sharma reveals his success mantra "I am not sure... Reading that travelling is going to be an issue for lot of countries and they are talking about December or January. Even if Australia is not affected like other countries, to get people from Bangladesh, South Africa or India where there is more danger, obviously it's a health risk to them," du Plessis said. "But you can go in before the tournament (for) two weeks isolation and then play the tournament and afterwards two weeks isolation," said the former Proteas captain. ALSO READ: Shoaib Akhtar reacts after being hilariously trolled by ICC over Steve Smith tweet Du Plessis joked that he doesn’t know when South Africa will lift their travel restrictions while adding players can’t travel on boats. "But I don't know when South Africa will open their travel ban because we can't go there like old days on boats," du Plessis said. In March, South Africa’s three-match ODI series against India was called off due to the outbreak of the deadly virus. The COVID-19 has infected more than 44 lakh people worldwide while causing close to 3 lakh deaths.

Faf du Plessis suggests two-week isolation for players before and after T20 World Cup

After a disappointing&nbsp;New Zealand tour, Team India would be looking to rectify their mistakes and get back to winning ways&nbsp;in the day/night encounter&nbsp;when they kick-start the three-match ODI series against South Africa on Thursday (March 12) at the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium in Dharamsala.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/new-zealand-beat-india-by-7-wickets-tour-ends-with-consecutive-whitewash-283620">Also Read: New Zealand beat India by 7 wickets, tour ends with consecutive whitewash</a>

India are coming into the ODI series after a shambolic tour of New Zealand, where the Men in Blue were whitewashed&nbsp;in the ODI and Test series by the hosts. Even though India did sweep&nbsp;the T20I series against the Black Caps, the defeats in ODI and Test series overshadowed their feat in the shortest format of the game.

India would be welcoming some of their experienced guns in the ODIs against the Quinton de Kock-led outfit. The likes of Shikhar Dhawan, Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Hardik Pandya would be returning to the senior team after proving their fitness in the recently concluded DY Patil T20 Cup whereas the likes of Mohammed Shami and Mayank Agarwal have been rested from the three-match rubber.

The Virat Kohli-led Men in Blue would be absolutely desperate to taste victory&nbsp;in the ODI series but have to be wary of South Africa's recent form in the limited-overs circuit.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/new-zealand-hand-10-wickets-defeat-to-india-registers-100th-test-victory-282244">Also Read: New Zealand hand 10-wickets defeat to India, registers 100th Test victory</a> 
&nbsp;

The Proteas are coming into the series after defeating Australia 3-0 in the recently-concluded ODI series. Even though the Proteas suffered defeats in the T20I series against Australia and England, they were absolutely brilliant on the field in each and every department of the game in both the series.

This will be India's final international assignment prior to the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020 and the fans would hope to witness the best from Team India in the series. In the last 10 ODIs between India and South Africa, the Men in Blue have been victorious seven times whereas the Proteas have won just three matches in the shorter format of the game.

Stat Attack:

Overall, India and South Africa have played as many as 84 ODI matches in which India has won 35 matches whereas Proteas lead the head-to-head battle with 46 wins under their belt while three matches have ended in a no-result.

However, India holds a slight edge whenever they have hosted South Africa in ODIs. Out of 28 ODIs hosted by India, the Men in Blue have won 15 matches whereas South Africa has come victorious 13 times. &nbsp;

Kohli's torrid run:

Indian skipper Virat Kohli would be hoping to end his poor run of form when he takes to the field in Dharamsala on Thursday. While Kohli had a torrid run in the recently concluded tour of New Zealand, the swashbuckling right-handed batsman hasn't scored a century in his last 22 innings across formats with his last ton coming against Bangladesh at the Eden Gardens in 2019 in what was India's first-ever pink-ball Test match.

The return of Faf:

For South Africa, Faf du Plessis will mark his return to the ODI squad since the conclusion of ICC World Cup 2019. Even though the Proteas have seen de Kock taking over the leadership duties, du Plessis' experience could come in handy if the visitors want to stun India at their own den.&nbsp;

Team India Squad: Shikhar Dhawan, Prithvi Shaw, Virat Kohli (C), KL Rahul, Manish Pandey, Shreyas Iyer, Rishabh Pant, Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Yuzvendra Chahal, Jasprit Bumrah, Navdeep Saini, Kuldeep Yadav, Shubman Gill.

South Africa Squad: Quinton de Kock (c &amp; wk), Temba Bavuma, Rassie van der Dussen, Faf du Plessis, Kyle Verreynne, Heinrich Klaasen, David Miller, Jon-Jon Smuts, Andile Phehlukwayo, Lungi Ngidi, Lutho Sipamla, Beuran Hendricks, Anrich Nortje, George Linde, Keshav Maharaj, Janneman Malan.

After a disappointing New Zealand tour, Team India would be looking to rectify their mistakes and get back to winning ways in the day/night encounter when they kick-start the three-match ODI series against South Africa on Thursday (March 12) at the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium in Dharamsala.

After a disappointing New Zealand tour, Team India would be looking to rectify their mistakes and get back to winning ways in the day/night encounter when they kick-start the three-match ODI series against South Africa on Thursday (March 12) at the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium in Dharamsala. Also Read: New Zealand beat India by 7 wickets, tour ends with consecutive whitewash India are coming into the ODI series after a shambolic tour of New Zealand, where the Men in Blue were whitewashed in the ODI and Test series by the hosts. Even though India did sweep the T20I series against the Black Caps, the defeats in ODI and Test series overshadowed their feat in the shortest format of the game. India would be welcoming some of their experienced guns in the ODIs against the Quinton de Kock-led outfit. The likes of Shikhar Dhawan, Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Hardik Pandya would be returning to the senior team after proving their fitness in the recently concluded DY Patil T20 Cup whereas the likes of Mohammed Shami and Mayank Agarwal have been rested from the three-match rubber. The Virat Kohli-led Men in Blue would be absolutely desperate to taste victory in the ODI series but have to be wary of South Africa's recent form in the limited-overs circuit. Also Read: New Zealand hand 10-wickets defeat to India, registers 100th Test victory The Proteas are coming into the series after defeating Australia 3-0 in the recently-concluded ODI series. Even though the Proteas suffered defeats in the T20I series against Australia and England, they were absolutely brilliant on the field in each and every department of the game in both the series. This will be India's final international assignment prior to the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020 and the fans would hope to witness the best from Team India in the series. In the last 10 ODIs between India and South Africa, the Men in Blue have been victorious seven times whereas the Proteas have won just three matches in the shorter format of the game. Stat Attack: Overall, India and South Africa have played as many as 84 ODI matches in which India has won 35 matches whereas Proteas lead the head-to-head battle with 46 wins under their belt while three matches have ended in a no-result. However, India holds a slight edge whenever they have hosted South Africa in ODIs. Out of 28 ODIs hosted by India, the Men in Blue have won 15 matches whereas South Africa has come victorious 13 times. Kohli's torrid run: Indian skipper Virat Kohli would be hoping to end his poor run of form when he takes to the field in Dharamsala on Thursday. While Kohli had a torrid run in the recently concluded tour of New Zealand, the swashbuckling right-handed batsman hasn't scored a century in his last 22 innings across formats with his last ton coming against Bangladesh at the Eden Gardens in 2019 in what was India's first-ever pink-ball Test match. The return of Faf: For South Africa, Faf du Plessis will mark his return to the ODI squad since the conclusion of ICC World Cup 2019. Even though the Proteas have seen de Kock taking over the leadership duties, du Plessis' experience could come in handy if the visitors want to stun India at their own den. Team India Squad: Shikhar Dhawan, Prithvi Shaw, Virat Kohli (C), KL Rahul, Manish Pandey, Shreyas Iyer, Rishabh Pant, Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Yuzvendra Chahal, Jasprit Bumrah, Navdeep Saini, Kuldeep Yadav, Shubman Gill. South Africa Squad: Quinton de Kock (c & wk), Temba Bavuma, Rassie van der Dussen, Faf du Plessis, Kyle Verreynne, Heinrich Klaasen, David Miller, Jon-Jon Smuts, Andile Phehlukwayo, Lungi Ngidi, Lutho Sipamla, Beuran Hendricks, Anrich Nortje, George Linde, Keshav Maharaj, Janneman Malan.

India vs South Africa, 1st ODI in Dharamsala: Virat Kohli & Co. eye fresh start against revamped Proteas

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/du-plessis-might-retire-after-australia-t20-in-october-275713">Faf du Plessis</a> has quit as South Africa captain across all three formats of cricket but will remain available for selection, Cricket South Africa announced on Monday.

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
BREAKING! 
 
Faf du Plessis has announced he is stepping down as South Africa captain from all formats! <a href="https://t.co/ukBYGgduiX">pic.twitter.com/ukBYGgduiX</a>
— ICC (@ICC) <a href="https://twitter.com/ICC/status/1229312076218355712?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 17, 2020</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

Du Plessis says he wants to take a step back from captaincy to allow a new generation of leaders to develop in the side, with the 35-year-old admitting earlier this year he was not looking at his future in international cricket beyond the Twenty20 World Cup in Australia in October.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/du-plessis-might-retire-after-australia-t20-in-october-275713">Faf Du Plessis might retire after T20 World Cup in October</a>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
“South African cricket has entered a new era. New leadership, new faces, new challenges and new strategies. I remain committed to play in all three formats of the game for now as a player and will offer my knowledge and time to the new leaders of the team." Du Plessis <a href="https://t.co/UAZd6OqLmn">pic.twitter.com/UAZd6OqLmn</a>
— Cricket South Africa (@OfficialCSA) <a href="https://twitter.com/OfficialCSA/status/1229306216440004609?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 17, 2020</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/du-plessis-might-retire-after-australia-t20-in-october-275713">Du Plessis</a> was rested for the recent One-Day International and Twenty20 series against England, where South Africa was led by wicketkeeper Quinton de Kock.

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
"The last season of my captaincy has been the most challenging to date as I had a lot of off-field issues that I devoted my energy towards." - Du Plessis <a href="https://t.co/PBUi2HlFPg">pic.twitter.com/PBUi2HlFPg</a>
— Cricket South Africa (@OfficialCSA) <a href="https://twitter.com/OfficialCSA/status/1229306207682400256?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 17, 2020</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

"As the team heads into a new direction with new leaders and a young crop of players, I feel it will be in the best interests of South African cricket to relinquish the captaincy in all formats," Du Plessis said in a statement.

"This was one of the toughest decisions to make, but I remain fully committed to supporting Quinton," he added.

Faf du Plessis has quit as South Africa captain across all three formats of cricket but will remain available for selection, Cricket South Africa announced on Monday.

Faf du Plessis has quit as South Africa captain across all three formats of cricket but will remain available for selection, Cricket South Africa announced on Monday. BREAKING! Faf du Plessis has announced he is stepping down as South Africa captain from all formats! pic.twitter.com/ukBYGgduiX — ICC (@ICC) February 17, 2020 × Du Plessis says he wants to take a step back from captaincy to allow a new generation of leaders to develop in the side, with the 35-year-old admitting earlier this year he was not looking at his future in international cricket beyond the Twenty20 World Cup in Australia in October. Also read: Faf Du Plessis might retire after T20 World Cup in October “South African cricket has entered a new era. New leadership, new faces, new challenges and new strategies. I remain committed to play in all three formats of the game for now as a player and will offer my knowledge and time to the new leaders of the team." Du Plessis pic.twitter.com/UAZd6OqLmn — Cricket South Africa (@OfficialCSA) February 17, 2020 × Du Plessis was rested for the recent One-Day International and Twenty20 series against England, where South Africa was led by wicketkeeper Quinton de Kock. "The last season of my captaincy has been the most challenging to date as I had a lot of off-field issues that I devoted my energy towards." - Du Plessis pic.twitter.com/PBUi2HlFPg — Cricket South Africa (@OfficialCSA) February 17, 2020 × "As the team heads into a new direction with new leaders and a young crop of players, I feel it will be in the best interests of South African cricket to relinquish the captaincy in all formats," Du Plessis said in a statement. "This was one of the toughest decisions to make, but I remain fully committed to supporting Quinton," he added.

Faf Du Plessis steps down as South Africa captain in all formats

"There are a lot of rumours about retirement," said Faf du Plessis after South Africa lost the third Test against England by an innings and 53 runs -– their seventh defeat in eight Test matches. I think I have been pretty clear that I have committed myself to <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/faf-du-plessis-calls-hashim-amla-father-figure-of-south-africa-team-241861">Cricket South Africa</a> until the T20 World Cup (in Australia in October and November)."

"Definitely," he said when asked whether he was under more pressure than at any other time of his career, adding "I'm not a robot."

<img alt="Du Plessis" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="5bfc1724-ed68-4dc8-ad0f-4ddacde12f72" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Untitled%20design%20%2821%29_1.jpg" /> 
[ Faf Du Plessis (Courtesy: Reuters) ]

"It’s a tough time but there's no running away from it," he said. "There’s no escape. I’m the leader of <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/south-africa-can-still-reach-world-cup-semis-without-steyn-says-faf-du-plessis-224351">the team</a>. It (pressure) comes with the job description."

<img alt="Faf du Plessis" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="495e3084-1b83-41fa-b443-80379abf7164" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Untitled%20design%20%2822%29_5.jpg" /> 
[ Faf Du Plessis (Courtesy: PTI) ]

"There was a time when it was nice and easy and everything was going our way as a team. We had a strong team and a high success ratio. Now we are on the bottom side of that wave. We’ve got to go back to the office and work again."

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/cricket-sudden-structural-changes-work-in-south-africas-favour-270924">We have got the right people in the right jobs: Faf du Plessis</a>

However, he said his Test career could come to an end later this year after the fourth Test against England, starting at the Wanderers in Johannesburg on Friday, and a two-Test tour of the West Indies in July and August.

"I want to be the strongest leader I can be for the team and for now that's committing to this series," he said.

"The worst thing a leader can do is pull the plug mid-series and say, 'Sorry boys, I’m out, I’ve had enough'. I don’t think that is what leadership is about. You have to stick through the tough times as well."&nbsp;

"There are a lot of rumours about retirement," said Faf du Plessis after South Africa lost the third Test against England by an innings and 53 runs -– their seventh defeat in eight Test matches.

"There are a lot of rumours about retirement," said Faf du Plessis after South Africa lost the third Test against England by an innings and 53 runs -– their seventh defeat in eight Test matches. I think I have been pretty clear that I have committed myself to Cricket South Africa until the T20 World Cup (in Australia in October and November)." "Definitely," he said when asked whether he was under more pressure than at any other time of his career, adding "I'm not a robot." [ Faf Du Plessis (Courtesy: Reuters) ] "It’s a tough time but there's no running away from it," he said. "There’s no escape. I’m the leader of the team. It (pressure) comes with the job description." [ Faf Du Plessis (Courtesy: PTI) ] "There was a time when it was nice and easy and everything was going our way as a team. We had a strong team and a high success ratio. Now we are on the bottom side of that wave. We’ve got to go back to the office and work again." Also Read: We have got the right people in the right jobs: Faf du Plessis However, he said his Test career could come to an end later this year after the fourth Test against England, starting at the Wanderers in Johannesburg on Friday, and a two-Test tour of the West Indies in July and August. "I want to be the strongest leader I can be for the team and for now that's committing to this series," he said. "The worst thing a leader can do is pull the plug mid-series and say, 'Sorry boys, I’m out, I’ve had enough'. I don’t think that is what leadership is about. You have to stick through the tough times as well."

Faf Du Plessis might retire after T20 World Cup in October

Opener Rohit Sharma who was under the gun when he walked into bat on the first day of Test against South Africa redeemed himself with an unbeaten 115.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/india-vs-south-africa-first-test-rohit-sharmas-century-gives-india-a-strong-start-253257">Sharma in the post-match press </a>conference told reporters that opening suited his game.

"I think it suits my game," Rohit said, adding,"Just wear the pads and go in to bat. I don't like the waiting game."

Rohit has been India's most prolific one-day batsman in recent times but was unable to make any headway in the Test squad, however, on Wednesday he made his presence felt hitting five sixes and 12 fours in his 174-ball stay at the wicket as rain stopped play early at Visakhapatnam.

"You know the bowlers who are bowling with the new ball, so the game plan is easier for you... At number six, the ball is reversing, field placement is different and you need to keep all those things in mind," a relieved Rohit said after the first day's play.

"Opening the batting is a different ball game in red ball cricket. Of course mentally you have to train your mind more than anything else," he said. "You have to challenge yourself to play the new ball and take the game forward."

Rohit was ably supported by Mayank Agarwal who made a valient 84 and stayed put at the other end.

"We wanted to use our feet and get closer to the ball and then obviously those are my shots that I play and I wanted to back myself and back my game," said Sharma.

South Africa captain Faf du Plessis mixed his spinners but was unable to get a breakthrough as his bowlers struggled as India reached 202 without loss on a rain-hit day. 
&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

Opener Rohit Sharma who was under the gun when he walked into bat on the first day of Test against South Africa redeemed himself with an unbeaten 115. Sharma in the post-match press conference told reporters that opening suited his game.

Opener Rohit Sharma who was under the gun when he walked into bat on the first day of Test against South Africa redeemed himself with an unbeaten 115. Sharma in the post-match press conference told reporters that opening suited his game. "I think it suits my game," Rohit said, adding,"Just wear the pads and go in to bat. I don't like the waiting game." Rohit has been India's most prolific one-day batsman in recent times but was unable to make any headway in the Test squad, however, on Wednesday he made his presence felt hitting five sixes and 12 fours in his 174-ball stay at the wicket as rain stopped play early at Visakhapatnam. "You know the bowlers who are bowling with the new ball, so the game plan is easier for you... At number six, the ball is reversing, field placement is different and you need to keep all those things in mind," a relieved Rohit said after the first day's play. "Opening the batting is a different ball game in red ball cricket. Of course mentally you have to train your mind more than anything else," he said. "You have to challenge yourself to play the new ball and take the game forward." Rohit was ably supported by Mayank Agarwal who made a valient 84 and stayed put at the other end. "We wanted to use our feet and get closer to the ball and then obviously those are my shots that I play and I wanted to back myself and back my game," said Sharma. South Africa captain Faf du Plessis mixed his spinners but was unable to get a breakthrough as his bowlers struggled as India reached 202 without loss on a rain-hit day.

Opening suits my game, just wear pads and go into bat, says Rohit Sharma after unbeaten ton against South Africa

South African skipper Faf du Plessis praised <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/south-africas-amla-retires-from-international-cricket-241580">Hashim Amla</a>, who announced retirement from international cricket on Thursday and hailed him as the called him 'father figure' of the Proteas.&nbsp;

Du Plessis took to Twitter and wrote, "The mighty # @amlahash...The father figure of our team. So much wisdom, so much humility, always a smile on ur face and has been the rock of the batting line up for as long as I can remember."

"Well done on ur legendary career bud. THANK YOU !!! We definitely gonna miss you," du Plessis further added.&nbsp;

Having played international cricket for 15 years, scoring almost 10,000 Test runs and close to another 10,000 in limited-overs internationals, Amla called time on his career.&nbsp;

"I learnt many lessons during this incredible ride, made many friends and most importantly shared in the love of a brotherhood," he said in a statement released by Cricket South Africa (CSA).&nbsp;

The 36-year-old is the only South African to have scored a triple century in Test cricket and is second behind Jacques Kallis in Test runs for the country (9,282).&nbsp;

Amla also has the highest Test score by a South African batsman against England, India and the West Indies. &nbsp;

Former India batsman Sachin Tendulkar also wished Amla a 'wonderful retired life'.

"You have served your country with great distinction and been a source of inspiration for many youngsters @amlahash! Wishing you a wonderful retired life. Good luck my friend," Tendulkar wrote.

South African skipper Faf du Plessis praised Hashim Amla, who announced retirement from international cricket on Thursday and hailed him as the called him 'father figure' of the Proteas.

South African skipper Faf du Plessis praised Hashim Amla, who announced retirement from international cricket on Thursday and hailed him as the called him 'father figure' of the Proteas. Du Plessis took to Twitter and wrote, "The mighty # @amlahash...The father figure of our team. So much wisdom, so much humility, always a smile on ur face and has been the rock of the batting line up for as long as I can remember." "Well done on ur legendary career bud. THANK YOU !!! We definitely gonna miss you," du Plessis further added. Having played international cricket for 15 years, scoring almost 10,000 Test runs and close to another 10,000 in limited-overs internationals, Amla called time on his career. "I learnt many lessons during this incredible ride, made many friends and most importantly shared in the love of a brotherhood," he said in a statement released by Cricket South Africa (CSA). The 36-year-old is the only South African to have scored a triple century in Test cricket and is second behind Jacques Kallis in Test runs for the country (9,282). Amla also has the highest Test score by a South African batsman against England, India and the West Indies. Former India batsman Sachin Tendulkar also wished Amla a 'wonderful retired life'. "You have served your country with great distinction and been a source of inspiration for many youngsters @amlahash! Wishing you a wonderful retired life. Good luck my friend," Tendulkar wrote.

Faf du Plessis calls Hashim Amla 'father figure' of South Africa team

AB de Villiers said he did not expect to be included in South Africa’s squad for the Cricket World Cup after telling captain Faf du Plessis that he was available, as he clarified his role in a selection drama that blew up in England.

South Africa endured a miserable tournament, exiting with only three wins from their nine pool matches.

Their cause was not helped when it was reported that <a href="https://www.google.com/url?client=internal-uds-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;q=https://www.wionews.com/sports/ab-de-villiers-offered-to-come-out-of-retirement-for-world-cup-224906&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=2ahUKEwj1oajhra_jAhXLPo8KHZ7_DyoQFjAAegQIAhAC&amp;usg=AOvVaw38luSvMy-6M8EcuA2SQQbj">De Villiers</a>, who had retired from international cricket in May 2018, had spoken to Du Plessis about making himself available on the eve of the team’s squad announcement.

That led to accusations that De Villiers, one of the best-limited overs batsmen in the world, had been selfish in trying to force his way back into the squad.

He said, however, he was only reiterating what he had told an unnamed Cricket South Africa official a year earlier upon his retirement.

"Now the Proteas' World Cup campaign is over, and the team cannot be distracted, I would like to respond to unjustified criticism of me during the tournament," De Villiers said in a statement on Friday.

"I announced my retirement from international cricket in May 2018 because I wanted to reduce my workload and spend more time with my wife and young sons. Some have insisted I was motivated purely by money. They are wrong.''

"In truth, I have turned down many lucrative offers to play around the world, and have cut the time spent away from home each year from eight months to just over three months," he said.

De Villiers said that immediately after his retirement he was asked if the door was open for a return to the team, and he confirmed he would consider it.

In a phone-call to long-time friend <a href="https://www.google.com/url?client=internal-uds-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;q=https://www.wionews.com/sports/world-cup-ab-de-villiers-offer-was-too-late-to-change-team-says-south-africa-captain-faf-du-plessis-226140&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=2ahUKEwj1oajhra_jAhXLPo8KHZ7_DyoQFjAFegQIBBAC&amp;usg=AOvVaw0nkPmXnEWCRQmMm8hitUru">Du Plessis</a> during this year’s Indian Premier League, he repeated the door was open “if I was needed".

"I had been in decent form during the Indian Premier League and casually repeated what I had said when asked a year earlier, that I was available if required ... but only if required.''

"I made absolutely no demands at all. I certainly did not try to force my way into the World Cup squad on the eve of the tournament, and did not expect to be included," De Villiers said.

<a href="https://www.google.com/url?client=internal-uds-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;q=https://www.wionews.com/sports/ab-de-villiers-reacts-on-south-africas-poor-start-in-world-cup-225014&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=2ahUKEwj1oajhra_jAhXLPo8KHZ7_DyoQFjABegQIDhAC&amp;usg=AOvVaw0ISGmyimlecNp6fE5MkWHX">De Villiers</a> said the story was leaked to the media after South Africa’s loss to India, their third in a row at the World Cup, as a way of deflecting attention away from the team’s troubles.

"Elements of our private conversation were disclosed to the media, and distorted to cast me in the worst possible light," he says.

"The story was not leaked by me, or anybody associated with me, or by Faf. Maybe someone wanted to deflect criticism. I don't know.''

"As a result, I was unfairly described as arrogant, selfish and indecisive but, with all humility, my conscience is clear. I am not angry with anybody," said De Villiers.

AB de Villiers said he did not expect to be included in South Africa’s squad for the Cricket World Cup after telling captain Faf du Plessis that he was available, as he clarified his role in a selection drama that blew up in England.

AB de Villiers said he did not expect to be included in South Africa’s squad for the Cricket World Cup after telling captain Faf du Plessis that he was available, as he clarified his role in a selection drama that blew up in England. South Africa endured a miserable tournament, exiting with only three wins from their nine pool matches. Their cause was not helped when it was reported that De Villiers, who had retired from international cricket in May 2018, had spoken to Du Plessis about making himself available on the eve of the team’s squad announcement. That led to accusations that De Villiers, one of the best-limited overs batsmen in the world, had been selfish in trying to force his way back into the squad. He said, however, he was only reiterating what he had told an unnamed Cricket South Africa official a year earlier upon his retirement. "Now the Proteas' World Cup campaign is over, and the team cannot be distracted, I would like to respond to unjustified criticism of me during the tournament," De Villiers said in a statement on Friday. "I announced my retirement from international cricket in May 2018 because I wanted to reduce my workload and spend more time with my wife and young sons. Some have insisted I was motivated purely by money. They are wrong.'' "In truth, I have turned down many lucrative offers to play around the world, and have cut the time spent away from home each year from eight months to just over three months," he said. De Villiers said that immediately after his retirement he was asked if the door was open for a return to the team, and he confirmed he would consider it. In a phone-call to long-time friend Du Plessis during this year’s Indian Premier League, he repeated the door was open “if I was needed". "I had been in decent form during the Indian Premier League and casually repeated what I had said when asked a year earlier, that I was available if required ... but only if required.'' "I made absolutely no demands at all. I certainly did not try to force my way into the World Cup squad on the eve of the tournament, and did not expect to be included," De Villiers said. De Villiers said the story was leaked to the media after South Africa’s loss to India, their third in a row at the World Cup, as a way of deflecting attention away from the team’s troubles. "Elements of our private conversation were disclosed to the media, and distorted to cast me in the worst possible light," he says. "The story was not leaked by me, or anybody associated with me, or by Faf. Maybe someone wanted to deflect criticism. I don't know.'' "As a result, I was unfairly described as arrogant, selfish and indecisive but, with all humility, my conscience is clear. I am not angry with anybody," said De Villiers.

'I made absolutely no demands', says AB de Villiers on World Cup squad controversy

Faf du Plessis said that Virat Kohli-led team India will be happy after South Africa's win over Australia in their last league stage match of the Cricket World Cup 2019 on Saturday in Manchester.&nbsp;

South Africa beat Australia by 10 runs to stop the holders finishing the World Cup group stage on top of the table. Du Plessis' side made 325-6 and restricted Australia to 315 all out in the run chase.&nbsp;

During the post-match presentation, du Plessis said, "I think India would be really happy that we won today."

Top-ranked India will face New Zealand in the semi-final while defending champion Australia will lock horns with hosts England.&nbsp;

"New Zealand's form has dipped in the last three games, so I would probably say an India-England final," South African skipper mentioned his favourites for the World Cup final.&nbsp;

"I think India and Australia have played the big games really well, so I would back one of them at the biggest stage of all," said du Plessis.&nbsp;

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
“I had high expectation of myself as a player but also as a captain to lead from the front.” 
 
South Africa skipper <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/FafDuPlessis?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#FafDuPlessis</a> was glad that his team finished <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/cwc19?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#cwc19</a> on a high. <a href="https://t.co/BNKbcZ6LlG">pic.twitter.com/BNKbcZ6LlG</a>
— Cricket World Cup (@cricketworldcup) <a href="https://twitter.com/cricketworldcup/status/1147792543796662272?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 7, 2019</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>
<img alt="Cricket World Cup" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="93c88c4a-a377-46a9-a958-b209e0f1e7f6" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/semi-final.jpg" />
&nbsp;

Faf du Plessis said that Virat Kohli-led team India will be happy after South Africa's win over Australia in their last league stage match of the Cricket World Cup 2019 on Saturday in Manchester.

Faf du Plessis said that Virat Kohli-led team India will be happy after South Africa's win over Australia in their last league stage match of the Cricket World Cup 2019 on Saturday in Manchester. South Africa beat Australia by 10 runs to stop the holders finishing the World Cup group stage on top of the table. Du Plessis' side made 325-6 and restricted Australia to 315 all out in the run chase. During the post-match presentation, du Plessis said, "I think India would be really happy that we won today." Top-ranked India will face New Zealand in the semi-final while defending champion Australia will lock horns with hosts England. "New Zealand's form has dipped in the last three games, so I would probably say an India-England final," South African skipper mentioned his favourites for the World Cup final. "I think India and Australia have played the big games really well, so I would back one of them at the biggest stage of all," said du Plessis. “I had high expectation of myself as a player but also as a captain to lead from the front.” South Africa skipper #FafDuPlessis was glad that his team finished #cwc19 on a high. pic.twitter.com/BNKbcZ6LlG — Cricket World Cup (@cricketworldcup) July 7, 2019 ×

'India would be really happy that we won,' says South African skipper Faf du Plessis

Out of the reckoning from the ongoing World Cup, skipper Faf du Plessis rued that had South Africa got an easier fixture at the beginning of the tournament things might have panned out differently for his team.

<a href="https://www.google.com/url?client=internal-uds-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;q=https://www.wionews.com/sports/south-africa-thump-sri-lanka-by-9-wickets-in-world-cup-231309&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=2ahUKEwiLwfGEko7jAhUW4o8KHTfLAeUQFjABegQIDhAC&amp;usg=AOvVaw1KPaTtTXgMFGzkGDjTH-KS">South Africa</a>'s first three games were against hosts England, Bangladesh and favourites India in the span of one week.

They lost all three encounters, severely denting their confidence.

"That first week was really tough for us. But that's the sport we play. I think it is crucial, especially for a team like us in tournaments like these, that you need to start well," du Plessis said after his side's nine-wicket victory to Sri Lanka.

"If you start well, your confidence in your team will grow and then from there, anything is possible. But to start the way we did, you come here already with an expectation of needing to do well and then you go zero from three, and that expectation becomes a weight on your shoulders. That is a heavy burden to carry," du Plessis said.

South Africa registered only their second win of the tournament by defeating Sri Lanka by nine wickets in their penultimate game at The Riverside on Friday.&nbsp;

They now face Australia in their final match of the World Cup.

Talking about the match against Sri Lanka, the skipper said although the team will come together and enjoy the win, the victory feels "pretty hallow".

Du Plessis made particular mention of Dwaine Pretorius, who came off the bench to take 3/25, after not playing since the opening match against England.

"We were looking for someone that was accurate. It is about doing your job and the basics extremely well and that is not needing to bowl at 160kph or swinging the ball both ways consistently," he said.

Pretorius set the tone for South Africa to dismiss Sri Lanka cheaply and then bat without pressure in chase of a small target.

The top-order enjoyed the opportunity to spend time in the middle and both Hashim Amla and du Plessis scored unbeaten half-centuries, something that had been missing from South Africa's performances thus far.

<a href="https://www.google.com/url?client=internal-uds-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;q=https://www.wionews.com/sports/pakistan-beat-south-africa-by-49-runs-to-end-proteas-world-cup-dream-229844&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=2ahUKEwiLwfGEko7jAhUW4o8KHTfLAeUQFjAEegQIEhAC&amp;usg=AOvVaw2lCtEvGMX0v-K8efKsbVoL">South Africa</a>'s comfortable victory cannot change that they will exit early. Despite their disappointment, they are starting to reflect on the tournament.

"It's been a remarkable tournament where different teams on their day can beat anyone and it shows you that if you are not on top of your game, in international cricket. The margins are so small. We haven't been great this tournament, but we certainly haven't been that far off the ball," du Plessis said.

Out of the reckoning from the ongoing World Cup, skipper Faf du Plessis rued that had South Africa got an easier fixture at the beginning of the tournament things might have panned out differently for his team.

Out of the reckoning from the ongoing World Cup, skipper Faf du Plessis rued that had South Africa got an easier fixture at the beginning of the tournament things might have panned out differently for his team. South Africa's first three games were against hosts England, Bangladesh and favourites India in the span of one week. They lost all three encounters, severely denting their confidence. "That first week was really tough for us. But that's the sport we play. I think it is crucial, especially for a team like us in tournaments like these, that you need to start well," du Plessis said after his side's nine-wicket victory to Sri Lanka. "If you start well, your confidence in your team will grow and then from there, anything is possible. But to start the way we did, you come here already with an expectation of needing to do well and then you go zero from three, and that expectation becomes a weight on your shoulders. That is a heavy burden to carry," du Plessis said. South Africa registered only their second win of the tournament by defeating Sri Lanka by nine wickets in their penultimate game at The Riverside on Friday. They now face Australia in their final match of the World Cup. Talking about the match against Sri Lanka, the skipper said although the team will come together and enjoy the win, the victory feels "pretty hallow". Du Plessis made particular mention of Dwaine Pretorius, who came off the bench to take 3/25, after not playing since the opening match against England. "We were looking for someone that was accurate. It is about doing your job and the basics extremely well and that is not needing to bowl at 160kph or swinging the ball both ways consistently," he said. Pretorius set the tone for South Africa to dismiss Sri Lanka cheaply and then bat without pressure in chase of a small target. The top-order enjoyed the opportunity to spend time in the middle and both Hashim Amla and du Plessis scored unbeaten half-centuries, something that had been missing from South Africa's performances thus far. South Africa's comfortable victory cannot change that they will exit early. Despite their disappointment, they are starting to reflect on the tournament. "It's been a remarkable tournament where different teams on their day can beat anyone and it shows you that if you are not on top of your game, in international cricket. The margins are so small. We haven't been great this tournament, but we certainly haven't been that far off the ball," du Plessis said.

World Cup: Easier fixtures in beginning might have helped South Africa, says Faf du Plessis

Faf du Plessis and Hashim Amla struck unbeaten half-centuries as <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/live-updates-cricket-world-cup-2019-match-35-sri-lanka-vs-south-africa-231153">South Africa cruised to a nine-wicket victory</a> at the Riverside Ground on Friday to put a major dent in Sri Lanka's hopes of reaching the Cricket World Cup semi-finals.

After putting Sri Lanka in to bat, South Africa were set a target of 204 as seamer Dwaine Pretorius took 3-25 off 10 overs in an innings that was interrupted by a swarm of bees that invaded the pitch and sent the players and umpires to the floor.

After the early loss of Quinton de Kock, already-eliminated South Africa never looked troubled as Amla (80 not out) and Du Plessis (96 not out) put on 175 for the second wicket, playing with a kind of freedom not seen before by the team in a dismal tournament for the side.

Sri Lanka needed victory to move level with fourth-placed England in the race for semi-final places, but struggled with bat and ball against an opponent who have now beaten them in 17 of their last 19 meetings.

Sri Lanka produced a fast start to their innings that was halted by the immaculate line and length of Pretorius as South Africa limited their opponents to 203 all out three balls shy of 50 overs.

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
Not sure Chris Morris has mastered the concept of the selfie yet 😂 
 
Tag someone who would take a screenshot rather than a selfie! <a href="https://t.co/UszONK7jIm">pic.twitter.com/UszONK7jIm</a>
— Cricket World Cup (@cricketworldcup) <a href="https://twitter.com/cricketworldcup/status/1144655703602278400?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 28, 2019</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

After overcoming the loss of captain Dimuth Karunaratne with the first ball of the match, Kusal Perera (30) and Avishka Fernando (30) raced to 67 inside the first 10 overs, taking the attack to the South Africans.

But Pretorius picked up both their wickets and slowed the run-rate, with seamer Chris Morris (3-46) also collecting key scalps, including that of Angelo Mathews (11).

They were aided by a slow wicket that made stroke-play difficult, but Sri Lanka’s batting woes that have characterised their campaign to date returned, with Perera and Fernando ending as top-scorers in the innings.

South Africa reached their target with 76 balls to spare in an accomplished display that comes as too little, too late for them in the World Cup.

De Kock struck three crisp fours before he was bowled by the wily Lasith Malinga (1-47), but Amla and De Kock played a patient game and nudged the ball for singles and twos, showing the composure their opponents had lacked.

Amla took 56 balls for his half-century and Du Plessis 70, but they were always ahead of the run-rate and with no pressure on to bag a quick win, took their time.

They eventually sped up when the target narrowed to under 30, but Du Plessis ran out of runs to reach a deserved captain’s ton.

Match in numbers:

<img alt="Match 35" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="88b4b48d-5cfe-4d97-8791-f8b55d4836a1" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/match%2035.jpg" />

&nbsp;

Faf du Plessis and Hashim Amla struck unbeaten half-centuries as South Africa cruised to a nine-wicket victory at the Riverside Ground on Friday to put a major dent in Sri Lanka's hopes of reaching the Cricket World Cup semi-finals.

Faf du Plessis and Hashim Amla struck unbeaten half-centuries as South Africa cruised to a nine-wicket victory at the Riverside Ground on Friday to put a major dent in Sri Lanka's hopes of reaching the Cricket World Cup semi-finals. After putting Sri Lanka in to bat, South Africa were set a target of 204 as seamer Dwaine Pretorius took 3-25 off 10 overs in an innings that was interrupted by a swarm of bees that invaded the pitch and sent the players and umpires to the floor. After the early loss of Quinton de Kock, already-eliminated South Africa never looked troubled as Amla (80 not out) and Du Plessis (96 not out) put on 175 for the second wicket, playing with a kind of freedom not seen before by the team in a dismal tournament for the side. Sri Lanka needed victory to move level with fourth-placed England in the race for semi-final places, but struggled with bat and ball against an opponent who have now beaten them in 17 of their last 19 meetings. Sri Lanka produced a fast start to their innings that was halted by the immaculate line and length of Pretorius as South Africa limited their opponents to 203 all out three balls shy of 50 overs. Not sure Chris Morris has mastered the concept of the selfie yet 😂 Tag someone who would take a screenshot rather than a selfie! pic.twitter.com/UszONK7jIm — Cricket World Cup (@cricketworldcup) June 28, 2019 × After overcoming the loss of captain Dimuth Karunaratne with the first ball of the match, Kusal Perera (30) and Avishka Fernando (30) raced to 67 inside the first 10 overs, taking the attack to the South Africans. But Pretorius picked up both their wickets and slowed the run-rate, with seamer Chris Morris (3-46) also collecting key scalps, including that of Angelo Mathews (11). They were aided by a slow wicket that made stroke-play difficult, but Sri Lanka’s batting woes that have characterised their campaign to date returned, with Perera and Fernando ending as top-scorers in the innings. South Africa reached their target with 76 balls to spare in an accomplished display that comes as too little, too late for them in the World Cup. De Kock struck three crisp fours before he was bowled by the wily Lasith Malinga (1-47), but Amla and De Kock played a patient game and nudged the ball for singles and twos, showing the composure their opponents had lacked. Amla took 56 balls for his half-century and Du Plessis 70, but they were always ahead of the run-rate and with no pressure on to bag a quick win, took their time. They eventually sped up when the target narrowed to under 30, but Du Plessis ran out of runs to reach a deserved captain’s ton. Match in numbers:

South Africa thump Sri Lanka by 9 wickets in World Cup

South Africa's players expressed bitter disappointment and even embarrassment after their elimination from the World Cup was ensured by their <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/pakistan-beat-south-africa-by-49-runs-to-end-proteas-world-cup-dream-229844">loss to Pakistan</a> at Lord's on Sunday but they said they would learn lessons and return stronger.

The Proteas' chances of progressing in the tournament evaporated after they logged their fifth loss in seven matches, making it mathematically impossible for them to secure a top-four spot and a place in the semi-finals.

"It's becoming where it's a little bit embarrassing. We're trying, but it's just not good enough. Obviously, I'm human as well so it will keep chipping away at me," captain Faf du Plessis told reporters after a 49-run defeat at Lord's.

"I'm a very proud player and captain, and playing for South Africa means a lot for me, and the fact (is) that the results we're dishing out at the moment - you know it's really, really tough," he said.

The team's headline bowler, paceman Kagiso Rabada, said the whole team felt like they had failed to play to their usual standard, both on Sunday and throughout the tournament.

"Pakistan turned up, and we didn't," he said.

"We're very disappointed. We tried so hard at practices and we spoke about what we needed to do, but unfortunately we just couldn't bring it out into the field of play. And that's what you have to do in tournaments like this.

"We try to prepare, we do our analysis. We come in with a good mindset - it's just execution is one thing that's been a question mark for us," added Rabada.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/close-all-exit-doors-imran-tahirs-unique-celebration-allows-meme-experts-to-show-creativity-229778">'Close all exit doors': Imran Tahir's unique celebration allows meme experts to show creativity</a>

Du Plessis said the team had been running low on confidence as their losses piled up and turning that around rested mostly with each individual player.

"For me at the moment, it's a confidence thing. The guys are playing with low confidence and therefore making more mistakes," he said.

"The responsibility lies with every player to try and make sure that he comes to the park and gives everything, and if confidence is an issue, you need to sort it out yourself.

"You know, if I could I would get my wand out and get some runs on the table for our batters. But I can't, unfortunately."

Rabada and Du Plessis said the team had lessons to learn, and that they would be fighting to get things right next time.

"We'll definitely be back firing, looking to nail some of the things that we wanted to nail in this tournament," Rabada said.

South Africa's players expressed bitter disappointment and even embarrassment after their elimination from the World Cup was ensured by their loss to Pakistan at Lord's on Sunday but they said they would learn lessons and return stronger.

South Africa's players expressed bitter disappointment and even embarrassment after their elimination from the World Cup was ensured by their loss to Pakistan at Lord's on Sunday but they said they would learn lessons and return stronger. The Proteas' chances of progressing in the tournament evaporated after they logged their fifth loss in seven matches, making it mathematically impossible for them to secure a top-four spot and a place in the semi-finals. "It's becoming where it's a little bit embarrassing. We're trying, but it's just not good enough. Obviously, I'm human as well so it will keep chipping away at me," captain Faf du Plessis told reporters after a 49-run defeat at Lord's. "I'm a very proud player and captain, and playing for South Africa means a lot for me, and the fact (is) that the results we're dishing out at the moment - you know it's really, really tough," he said. The team's headline bowler, paceman Kagiso Rabada, said the whole team felt like they had failed to play to their usual standard, both on Sunday and throughout the tournament. "Pakistan turned up, and we didn't," he said. "We're very disappointed. We tried so hard at practices and we spoke about what we needed to do, but unfortunately we just couldn't bring it out into the field of play. And that's what you have to do in tournaments like this. "We try to prepare, we do our analysis. We come in with a good mindset - it's just execution is one thing that's been a question mark for us," added Rabada. Also Read: 'Close all exit doors': Imran Tahir's unique celebration allows meme experts to show creativity Du Plessis said the team had been running low on confidence as their losses piled up and turning that around rested mostly with each individual player. "For me at the moment, it's a confidence thing. The guys are playing with low confidence and therefore making more mistakes," he said. "The responsibility lies with every player to try and make sure that he comes to the park and gives everything, and if confidence is an issue, you need to sort it out yourself. "You know, if I could I would get my wand out and get some runs on the table for our batters. But I can't, unfortunately." Rabada and Du Plessis said the team had lessons to learn, and that they would be fighting to get things right next time. "We'll definitely be back firing, looking to nail some of the things that we wanted to nail in this tournament," Rabada said.

World Cup: South African players 'embarrassed' after early elimination

Captain Faf du Plessis was left contemplating the ruins of another World Cup campaign on the ground where South Africa experienced their greatest heartache in the competition 20 years ago.

The Proteas' hopes of reaching the semi-finals in England and Wales are all but over after a <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/world-cup-kane-williamson-unbeaten-century-guides-new-zealand-to-win-over-south-africa-228842">four-wicket defeat by New Zealand</a> on Wednesday.

One minor consolation is that the recriminations from Wednesday's reverse at Edgbaston are unlikely to be as great as those at Warwickshire's headquarters 20 years ago when a disastrous run-out saw them tie with Australia and miss out on the final due to an inferior net run rate.

South Africa are still alive at the World Cup but with just one win from six matches, it would take an extraordinary combination of results to see them into the semi-finals from a 10-team round-robin group phase.

On Wednesday, South Africa fought hard to get to 241 for six on a difficult pitch after losing the toss.

And it so very nearly proved enough, with New Zealand needing a superbly paced 106 not out from captain and star batsman Kane Williamson to see them home with just three balls to spare.

Fans of AB de Villiers will argue this proves the Proteas were wrong to refuse the gifted batsman's offer to come out of international retirement for the World Cup, but others will say the offer came far too late for it to be accepted by South Africa's selectors.

"Kane played a great knock, you know. It's probably the difference between the two sides, just one guy taking it through. You need someone to go further, and we haven't had that," said Du Plessis.&nbsp;

Inevitably, given their painful World Cup history, the question of whether South Africa "choked" on Wednesday is bound to be asked.

"Choking", however, implies squandering a winning position, whereas this match in Birmingham was more of a see-saw contest determined largely by Williamson's knock.

Stuttering campaign&nbsp; 
 
The New Zealand skipper is a world-class batsman and the truth is that South Africa's World Cup campaign was in trouble long before this fixture.

Losing Dale Steyn without the veteran fast bowler delivering a ball at the tournament was blow, but South Africa were gambling on the 35-year-old recovering from a longstanding shoulder injury.

Having tournament hosts England and another highly-fancied side in <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/i-feel-emotional-says-shikhar-dhawan-after-injury-ends-his-world-cup-campaign-228775">India </a>as two of their early opponents meant South Africa had a tough start and it was no surprise when they lost both of those matches.

But what really derailed their campaign was a 21-run defeat by Bangladesh, where the Tigers piled up 330.

Several South Africa batsmen got starts in reply, including Du Plessis, who made 62, but nobody was able to play the major innings required.

The Proteas' painful history at the World Cup is littered with self-inflicted wounds.

As well as the 1999 run-out debacle, they exited in 2003 after misunderstanding the rules governing rain-affected matches and made the controversial decision to drop Kyle Abbott for what turned out to be a nailbiting semi-final loss to<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/live-updates-cricket-world-cup-2019-match-25-new-zealand-vs-south-africa-228634"> New Zealand</a> four years ago.

South Africa did not help themselves on Wednesday when Williamson, who had then made 76, got a thin edge off Imran Tahir to wicketkeeper Quinton de Kock.

The Proteas did not request a review, only for replays to show a nick.

"I think I was at long on at the time, and Quinny is the closest to the action. That's not where the game was won and lost," said Du Plessis.&nbsp;

This World Cup could well mark the last appearance at the global showpiece for players in their mid-30s such as Du Plessis and Proteas opener <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/world-cup-hashim-amla-becomes-second-fastest-batsman-to-register-8000-odi-runs-228825">Hashim Amla</a>, who never really got back to his best after being hit on the head by a bouncer from England's Jofra Archer.

"If you look at our batting unit, we've got some future talent and some promising players, but if you put our top six and you put the other top sixes around the world, purely on a numbers point of view, we won't be in the top three," admitted Du Plessis.&nbsp;

Captain Faf du Plessis was left contemplating the ruins of another World Cup campaign on the ground where South Africa experienced their greatest heartache in the competition 20 years ago.

Captain Faf du Plessis was left contemplating the ruins of another World Cup campaign on the ground where South Africa experienced their greatest heartache in the competition 20 years ago. The Proteas' hopes of reaching the semi-finals in England and Wales are all but over after a four-wicket defeat by New Zealand on Wednesday. One minor consolation is that the recriminations from Wednesday's reverse at Edgbaston are unlikely to be as great as those at Warwickshire's headquarters 20 years ago when a disastrous run-out saw them tie with Australia and miss out on the final due to an inferior net run rate. South Africa are still alive at the World Cup but with just one win from six matches, it would take an extraordinary combination of results to see them into the semi-finals from a 10-team round-robin group phase. On Wednesday, South Africa fought hard to get to 241 for six on a difficult pitch after losing the toss. And it so very nearly proved enough, with New Zealand needing a superbly paced 106 not out from captain and star batsman Kane Williamson to see them home with just three balls to spare. Fans of AB de Villiers will argue this proves the Proteas were wrong to refuse the gifted batsman's offer to come out of international retirement for the World Cup, but others will say the offer came far too late for it to be accepted by South Africa's selectors. "Kane played a great knock, you know. It's probably the difference between the two sides, just one guy taking it through. You need someone to go further, and we haven't had that," said Du Plessis. Inevitably, given their painful World Cup history, the question of whether South Africa "choked" on Wednesday is bound to be asked. "Choking", however, implies squandering a winning position, whereas this match in Birmingham was more of a see-saw contest determined largely by Williamson's knock. Stuttering campaign The New Zealand skipper is a world-class batsman and the truth is that South Africa's World Cup campaign was in trouble long before this fixture. Losing Dale Steyn without the veteran fast bowler delivering a ball at the tournament was blow, but South Africa were gambling on the 35-year-old recovering from a longstanding shoulder injury. Having tournament hosts England and another highly-fancied side in India as two of their early opponents meant South Africa had a tough start and it was no surprise when they lost both of those matches. But what really derailed their campaign was a 21-run defeat by Bangladesh, where the Tigers piled up 330. Several South Africa batsmen got starts in reply, including Du Plessis, who made 62, but nobody was able to play the major innings required. The Proteas' painful history at the World Cup is littered with self-inflicted wounds. As well as the 1999 run-out debacle, they exited in 2003 after misunderstanding the rules governing rain-affected matches and made the controversial decision to drop Kyle Abbott for what turned out to be a nailbiting semi-final loss to New Zealand four years ago. South Africa did not help themselves on Wednesday when Williamson, who had then made 76, got a thin edge off Imran Tahir to wicketkeeper Quinton de Kock. The Proteas did not request a review, only for replays to show a nick. "I think I was at long on at the time, and Quinny is the closest to the action. That's not where the game was won and lost," said Du Plessis. This World Cup could well mark the last appearance at the global showpiece for players in their mid-30s such as Du Plessis and Proteas opener Hashim Amla, who never really got back to his best after being hit on the head by a bouncer from England's Jofra Archer. "If you look at our batting unit, we've got some future talent and some promising players, but if you put our top six and you put the other top sixes around the world, purely on a numbers point of view, we won't be in the top three," admitted Du Plessis.

World Cup: New Zealand add to South Africa's stuttering campaign agony

After a woeful run in the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup, South Africa finally managed to secure their first victory, and the team's spin bowling coach Claude Henderson said that they are eager to win.

"Very desperate. It means a lot to everyone in the camp; all the players and the support staff. There is a lot of pride in South African sport and in the country. They owe this to themselves and also to the supporters," Sport34.co.za quoted Henderson as saying.&nbsp;

When South Africa and Afghanistan came face-to-face, both were on a winless streak in the premier tournament but after the conclusion of the match, <a href="https://www.google.com/url?client=internal-uds-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;q=https://www.wionews.com/sports/south-africa-can-still-reach-world-cup-semis-without-steyn-says-faf-du-plessis-224351&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=2ahUKEwiirrb26_LiAhWWf30KHX-pCpwQFjADegQIEBAC&amp;usg=AOvVaw07ytWcl2FgDLlBYGEAOiOH">South Africa</a> halted their streak as they trounced their competitor by nine-wickets.

However, their upcoming opponents are New Zealand, who are unbeaten in the tournament so far and sit on the second position on the points table, only behind Australia.

Henderson is aware of the danger ahead of them but is confident that they can beat New Zealand if they managed to play "solid cricket".

"We respect every opposition we play, and <a href="https://www.google.com/url?client=internal-uds-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;q=https://www.wionews.com/sports/world-cup-india-and-new-zealand-split-points-after-trent-bridge-washout-226923&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=2ahUKEwiEgIWN7PLiAhVPWH0KHSMdAUsQFjAHegQIBBAC&amp;usg=AOvVaw2jkGn8aluHjRe_SAKUPpqa">New Zealand</a> is one of the better teams in world cricket. They have shown in the last decade how strong they can be, especially in big tournaments. I think we can beat them if we play solid cricket. We haven't started well, but the boys have really worked hard. There have been a lot of discussions and if we play good, basic, strong cricket then we`ve got a very good chance," he said.

<a href="https://www.google.com/url?client=internal-uds-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;q=https://www.wionews.com/sports/india-beat-south-africa-by-six-wickets-in-cricket-world-cup-224756&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=2ahUKEwiirrb26_LiAhWWf30KHX-pCpwQFjAEegQIARAC&amp;usg=AOvVaw2E-NLdOYHHMiw6o-A9MplO">South Africa</a> will now face New Zealand on June 19.

After a woeful run in the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup, South Africa finally managed to secure their first victory, and the team's spin bowling coach Claude Henderson said that they are eager to win.

After a woeful run in the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup, South Africa finally managed to secure their first victory, and the team's spin bowling coach Claude Henderson said that they are eager to win. "Very desperate. It means a lot to everyone in the camp; all the players and the support staff. There is a lot of pride in South African sport and in the country. They owe this to themselves and also to the supporters," Sport34.co.za quoted Henderson as saying. When South Africa and Afghanistan came face-to-face, both were on a winless streak in the premier tournament but after the conclusion of the match, South Africa halted their streak as they trounced their competitor by nine-wickets. However, their upcoming opponents are New Zealand, who are unbeaten in the tournament so far and sit on the second position on the points table, only behind Australia. Henderson is aware of the danger ahead of them but is confident that they can beat New Zealand if they managed to play "solid cricket". "We respect every opposition we play, and New Zealand is one of the better teams in world cricket. They have shown in the last decade how strong they can be, especially in big tournaments. I think we can beat them if we play solid cricket. We haven't started well, but the boys have really worked hard. There have been a lot of discussions and if we play good, basic, strong cricket then we`ve got a very good chance," he said. South Africa will now face New Zealand on June 19.

World Cup: 'Desperate' South Africa can beat New Zealand, says bowling coach Claude Henderson

Days after South Africa coach Ottis Gibson and selection panel convenor Linda Zondi put forward their views on AB de Villiers'&nbsp;desire to feature in the ongoing ICC Men's Cricket World Cup, skipper Faf du Plessis also opined over the issue saying his offer came in too late to consider.

<a href="https://www.google.com/url?client=internal-uds-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;q=https://www.wionews.com/sports/no-regrets-south-africa-on-turning-down-ab-de-villiers-approach-224972&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=2ahUKEwimpuqq2ODiAhVI7HMBHT0eDTMQFjAAegQIBRAC&amp;usg=AOvVaw3owe_imi9UdxPRrcqwp0-7">Du Plessis</a> revealed that he shared a phone call with De Villiers during this edition of Indian Premier League (IPL).

"It was just a conversation, a phone call the night before the team got announced. It was just a 'this is what I'm feeling'&nbsp;[phone call]. I said to him, 'I think it is too late but I will check in with the coach and the selectors the next morning.'&nbsp;When I spoke to the coach and the selectors, they all agreed that it was way, way too late to change the team on 99.99," ICC quoted Du Plessis as saying.

South Africa has been on a dismal run in the premier tournament as they have lost their first three matches.

However, in their fourth match against West Indies on Monday, they got one point as the match got abandoned due to rain and consequently, both the teams were awarded one point each.

Du Plessis was also asked whether all these recent incidents regarding <a href="https://www.google.com/url?client=internal-uds-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;q=https://www.wionews.com/sports/ab-de-villiers-offered-to-come-out-of-retirement-for-world-cup-224906&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=2ahUKEwimpuqq2ODiAhVI7HMBHT0eDTMQFjABegQIDBAC&amp;usg=AOvVaw3z-QXTqMMA4xpmwWM8Fsae">De Villiers</a> impacted his team negatively or had a galvanizing effect, the 34-year old replied,&nbsp;"I think a little bit of both. We do feel like the news came in and like went through the team. It didn't have a huge impact."

Du Plessis admitted that his friendship with De Villiers has not changed amid all this.

"AB and I are still friends. This incident has not changed that. This is a small thing for a friendship that goes so way back," he said.

South Africa will now face Afghanistan at Sophia Gardens on June 15.

Days after South Africa coach Ottis Gibson and selection panel convenor Linda Zondi put forward their views on AB de Villiers' desire to feature in the ongoing ICC Men's Cricket World Cup, skipper Faf du Plessis also opined over the issue saying his offer came in too late to consider.

Days after South Africa coach Ottis Gibson and selection panel convenor Linda Zondi put forward their views on AB de Villiers' desire to feature in the ongoing ICC Men's Cricket World Cup, skipper Faf du Plessis also opined over the issue saying his offer came in too late to consider. Du Plessis revealed that he shared a phone call with De Villiers during this edition of Indian Premier League (IPL). "It was just a conversation, a phone call the night before the team got announced. It was just a 'this is what I'm feeling' [phone call]. I said to him, 'I think it is too late but I will check in with the coach and the selectors the next morning.' When I spoke to the coach and the selectors, they all agreed that it was way, way too late to change the team on 99.99," ICC quoted Du Plessis as saying. South Africa has been on a dismal run in the premier tournament as they have lost their first three matches. However, in their fourth match against West Indies on Monday, they got one point as the match got abandoned due to rain and consequently, both the teams were awarded one point each. Du Plessis was also asked whether all these recent incidents regarding De Villiers impacted his team negatively or had a galvanizing effect, the 34-year old replied, "I think a little bit of both. We do feel like the news came in and like went through the team. It didn't have a huge impact." Du Plessis admitted that his friendship with De Villiers has not changed amid all this. "AB and I are still friends. This incident has not changed that. This is a small thing for a friendship that goes so way back," he said. South Africa will now face Afghanistan at Sophia Gardens on June 15.

World Cup: AB de Villiers' offer was too late to change team, says South Africa captain Faf du Plessis

faf-du-plessis

Faf Du Plessis, News on Faf Du Plessis, stories on Faf Du Plessis, articles on Faf Du Plessis, Faf Du Plessis stories at Wion, Faf Du Plessis news, Faf Du Plessis latest news

faf du-plessis