Amla hails Bumrah, Rabada

Hashim Amla showered high praise on Jasprit Bumrah, terming him the “best in the world” along with his compatriot Kagiso Rabada.

“When you look around, I think him (Bumrah) and KG (Rabada) are the two best bowlers in the world for me,” said Amla, who was dismissed by the Indian paceman with a scorcher. “They've got pace, accuracy and can bowl at all stages of the game. It's great to have KG for us and Bumrah for India. He's a hell of a bowler, that's what good bowlers do. They can bowl at all paces, they've got accuracy and variations - they can bowl the yorkers too. You have to appreciate their skill,” he observed.

It was the first ball Hashim Amla was facing off Jasprit Bumrah and he couldn’t have a more difficult delivery. The ball pitched full on the off, pushed him back in the crease and forced him to defend it from inside his crease. The ball then rose a bit too high and he could only manage a thick edge to third slip. South Africa barely recovered from that blow.

“Batting upfront you have to assess what type of wicket it is,” Amla reasoned. “If you get past the assessment period… Unfortunately I didn't, it was the first ball I faced off Bumrah. You don't know what to expect, it just comes off the wicket and it can happen.”

Bumrah had dismissed Amla twice before but the South African opener didn’t agree that it was playing on his mind.

“No, not at all. You try to assess the wicket first. If you get past it then great. If not, you watch it from the change room. He is a good bowler and that's what good bowlers do. When you play long enough, you are going to get bowlers who get you out.”

Amla, speaking about his team, admitted it’s a “different campaign” for them. With three defeats in as many matches, the Proteas stare at an early exit.

“Very disappointed to have lost three in a row,” he began. “In previous World Cups, we have played really well but we haven't won a World Cup. This could be the other way round, that's the possibility. Imagine where you start badly and then find some momentum. Hopefully, we play our better cricket now. Obviously, we need to win five or six games in a row, hopefully we do that,” he offered.