Why Temba Bavuma has been the biggest disappointment for the Proteas in the World Cup

South African skipper Temba Bavuma’s poor form throughout the ICC World Cup 2023 has persisted into the semi-finals against Australia. Bavuma was dismissed for a duck by left-arm pacer Mitchell Starc, marking his eighth failure in the tournament.

Following Bavuma's dismissal, the team couldn’t settle, and soon after, Quinton de Kock, Rassie Van der Dussen, Heinrich Klaasen, and Aiden Markram were also sent back to the pavilion.

Bavuma, in fact, has failed to score in any match of the World Cup, proving to be South Africa's biggest liability thus far.

Bavuma’s poor World Cup

• Struggling with a right hamstring injury, Bavuma has failed to perform with the bat in all eight matches he played.
• His recent scores have been 23, 11, 24, 28, 16, 35, and 8. Bavuma’s total runs tally stands at 145 in 8 matches, averaging 18.12.
• This performance is below the expected standard for a captain leading the team in a World Cup semi-final.
• Many cricket observers on X criticised Bavuma after his dismissal in the World Cup semis against Australia.

Captaincy record

• Although Bavuma might have struggled to find rhythm with the bat, he boasts a decent record as captain.

• Since assuming the captaincy of South Africa’s ODI team in 2021, Bavuma has led the Proteas in 17 matches, securing victories in 9 and facing 7 defeats. His win percentage in ODIs stands at 56.25%.

• In T20Is, Bavuma has recorded victories in 15 out of 25 matches while suffering 9 losses.

Furthermore, Bavuma holds the distinction of being the first black captain in South Africa to lead the SA team to the semi-finals of the World Cup.

However, the endeavor to shed the ‘chokers’ label might endure a bit longer, given South Africa's current struggle against Australia in the semi-final.