ICC World Cup 2019: Kagiso Rabada and Dale Steyn on track to getting fit in time

South Africa has always boasted of some of the best players in the business in both batting as well as bowling department, yet hasn’t got hands on the coveted World Cup trophy. This time around, the team captained by Faf du Plessis will play their first match against hosts England in the tournament opener at the Kennington Oval in London on May 30.

Ahead of the showpiece event, the Proteas are facing a few injury concerns. Three of their pacers- Kagiso Rabada, Lungi Ngidi and Dale Steyn- developed injuries and are trying to recover for the mega event. However, according to head coach Ottis Gibson, Rabada and Steyn are in line to make full recoveries before the tournament gets underway.

“There was an issue with KG (Rabada) and there was an issue with Dale, but we feel that those guys are on track. There is nothing that people should be alarmed about. We feel that they’re going to make full recoveries and be able to take their place at the World Cup,” Gibson was quoted as saying in Sport 24.

Steyn suffered a shoulder injury during the 2019 Indian Premier League (IPL), playing for the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB). On the contrary, Rabada complained of a stiff back, representing the Delhi Capitals (DC) and was withdrawn from the IPL as a precautionary measure even as Delhi qualified for the playoffs.

We’re not taking any of it into the World Cup with us, says Gibson

The South African team has played the semi-final on a number of instances but hasn’t played the final just yet. Last time, the team bowed down to New Zealand in the semis. Gibson, also a former Windies cricketer, doesn’t want to dwell on the past and wants to make it a special occasion.

“It’s a fresh start for us. We’re going to the World Cup together and it’s my first time with the team. The language that we have been using now is the same that we’ve been using for the last 18 months and it’s one of positivity. What’s gone on in the past is gone.”

“We’re not taking any of it into the World Cup with us … we’re going in with it being a new adventure for us. We’ve got a lot of guys who are playing their first World Cup and we want to make it special for them,” the head coach added.

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