‘There’s a long way to go’ – AB de Villiers tweets after South Africa’s third defeat in World Cup 2019

With South Africa biting the dust in yet another game at the ICC World Cup 2019, the timing is ripe for controversies to surface. One of them is the report saying dashing batsman AB de Villiers had reached out to the Proteas the team management expressing his wish to play in the World Cup but was not entertained. It is believed that while de Villiers had not fulfilled the selection criterion in the run-up to the World Cup after quitting in May 2018, his sudden inclusion would also do injustice to other new players who are trying to cement a place for themselves in the national side.

South Africa look a candidate to go on ventilator soon after losing three straight games in the tournament inside a week. They lost to hosts England by 104 runs in the opener and then went down fighting to Bangladesh by 21 runs. Virat Kohli’s India thrashed them by 6 wickets in Southampton on Wednesday. With the side already facing a lot of injury problems, the losses have been hurting even more.

SA have six games left and they are against some tough opponents

De Villiers on Thursday spoke out on Twitter to stand by the Proteas at the hour of crisis. He said the most important thing is to focus on backing the side in the tournament at this hour. He expressed optimism that there is still a long way to go in the tournament and South Africa can still make it.

The four-time semi-finalists have six games left for finishing among the top four and strive for their maiden world title. The team is yet to face tough opponents like Australia, New Zealand, West Indies and Pakistan and would also need the luck factor going in their favour in the tournament threatened by the elements.

Here’s AB de Villiers’ tweet

South Africa have five days to regroup after the India loss and will take on the West Indies at the same venue on June 10. They had beaten the same opponents by a mammoth 257 runs the last time they had met in the World Cup in 2015. On that occasion, De Villiers, who was the skipper, slammed 162 not out in just 66 balls to propel the Proteas to 408 for 5 in 50 overs.