Gibson keen for South Africa to show what they are capable of in remaining three games

• South Africa have lost four of their six games at the World Cup so far and look unlikely to qualify
• Gibson is keen for South Africa’s older players to sign off on a good note and for the younger players to make a statement

South Africa still have plenty to play for at the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2019, according to their coach Ottis Gibson.

Although they’ve lost four of their six matches so far and only have a slim chance of qualifying for the semi-finals, Gibson would like his team to use their remaining three matches to show what they are capable of.

Gibson said: “We’ve still got three games to play and I’d like to think that we can at least play the way we know we can play.

“We haven’t played like that, for whatever reason, but I’d like to think we can still do that.

“The thing about the squad is that there are guys playing their last World Cup and I’d like to think that they will leave the world stage having signed off on a strong note.

“And there are some youngsters here that I’m sure will play in future World Cups. So they too would like to leave a statement. That’s the way we’ve got to look at it.”

Leg-spinner Imran Tahir and middle-order batsman JP Duminy will both retire from ODIs at the end of the tournament after lengthy and impressive careers.

Tahir, who made his debut at the 2011 World Cup, has played 104 matches and is the most successful spinner in South Africa’s fifty-over history with 170 wickets at 24.47.

He is also eighth on the all-time wicket-takers list and would doubtless want to claim a few more scalps before his signs off.

Similarly, Duminy will want to add to his 5,103 runs, which makes him South Africa’s 10th highest run-scorer of all time, and could even be eyeing a 200th ODI cap. He has played 197 matches so far and if he plays the remaining three will reach the milestone.

On the other hand, South Africa also boasts a crop of young stars who will want to leave their mark on this tournament.

Aiden Markram, Kagiso Rabada, Andile Phehlukwayo, Lungi Ngidi, Chris Morris, Dwaine Pretorius, Rassie van der Dussen, Beuran Hendricks and Tabraiz Shamsi are all playing in their first World Cup and have an opportunity to make an impression before the competition ends.

Ultimately, Gibson hopes the experience and youth will come together to present a South African brand of cricket based on intent and energy, which they have cultivated in his tenure but not shown in this tournament.

He added: “We’ve spoken that language of being positive and aggressive and taking the game forward for a long time since I’ve been here.

“To see, when we come to this stage, guys going into their shell a little bit is a little bit surprising.”

Gibson admitted South Africa’s handicap has been their batting line-up, which has only posted a total over 300 once in the tournament and has made things tougher for their attack.

“What it comes down to is that we’ve not really been able to put enough runs on the board. We don’t have the bowling attack that we wanted to have, therefore we needed more runs to work with,” Gibson said.

South Africa lost Anrich Nortje to a hand injury before the tournament started, had to send Dale Steyn home after he sustained a shoulder niggle without playing a game and were forced to bench Lungi Ngidi for three matches with a hamstring strain, but Gibson’s biggest compliments were for the bowlers who got on the park and gave their all.

South Africa came close to defending 241 for 6 against New Zealand, who reached the target with three balls to spare, and Gibson believes there’s nothing more the attack could have done.

“You saw today the fighting spirit of the bowling attack that we put out today and had we had a few more runs today, the result could have been slightly different,” he said. “I thought our energy in the field was excellent, trying to defend a modest total at best. In the end, it wasn’t enough.”

South Africa’s next match is against Pakistan on Sunday, at Lord’s.