Hashim Amla is one of the batting spearheads in the South Africa batting line up for now almost a decade. He is one of the best in the business with 55 international centuries to his name, but a slump in form and the absence in a couple of ODI series almost lost his place in the World Cup 2019 squad.
But he was given a chance for his staggering previous record and 2 World Cup experience. He looks hungry to prove his mettle that he still belongs to the international level. It will be a do or die series for him.
“Things happen that you don’t anticipate and I did not anticipate how things have gone recently. But I am a firm believer that when something happens, there is some good in it. I have had time away and now I am really looking back to wearing the green and gold again,” Amla was quoted as saying by the ICC.
“I am hungrier than ever before, there is no doubt about that. I have been blessed to have this shirt for a while but the time off has made me want to come back stronger,” the veteran further added.
This is the third World Cup for Hashim Amla, he has amassed 639 runs in 15 games at an average of 42.60 and at a strike rate of 91.41. His best score registered was 159 vs. Ireland in 2015.
He also has been going through a dream run for the last 3 years and has scored 1391 runs in 34 ODI’s at a staggering average of 44.27 with a strike rate of 88.78.
South Africa will face England in the opening match of the World Cup 2019 and Amla is expected to fire and set the tone from Match. Although, there are fewer expectations from protease, calling them the dark horse wouldn’t be wrong.
“It is the best first game we could have asked for. We have played England recently and had some success against them, I have done well against them too. This year, you don’t see the same big names and that is why the focus is not on us but that has some good in it,” he said.
“There has not been much chat about us winning in comparison to the past but I don’t think that played a part in how we performed. At the end of the day, we always gave our best and played to win. The fact that there has not been a lot of chat at this World Cup means there is less expectation but in the team, we think we can do well,” he added.
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