Rabada insists Proteas will learn lessons from World Cup campaign

• Proteas will look to finish tournament on a high against Sri Lanka and Australia
• Imran Tahir, 40, inspiration for 24-year old pace bowler

Kagiso Rabada insists South Africa will be quick to learn the lessons of a difficult campaign.

The Proteas defeat to Pakistan at Lord’s ended their hopes of making the knockout stages, meaning the focus will be on the future ahead of games with Sri Lanka and Australia.

Former South Africa all-rounder Jacques Kallis has urged his one-time team-mates to follow the example of England, who endured a difficult ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup four years ago but have since established themselves as one of the world’s top ODI sides.

And Rabada agrees they’ll emerge stronger for the experience of recent weeks.

“There have been times where we’ve been really unlucky. At the same time, there have been times where we have let ourselves down. But there are plenty of learnings. That’s why we play this game,” said Rabada, at 24 one of a number of twenty somethings in Faf du Plessis’s squad.

“It’s not easy. As much as you want to be at the top, you will never find it smooth sailing. It’s extremely tough and when you’re playing out there, you experience all these feelings, the highs and the lows and that's’ a part of the game.
Now the key is to bounce back and to plan forward and stay positive.

“We will definitely be back firing and looking to really nail some of the things we wanted to nail in this tournament.”

While the batting line-up has been South Africa’s major concern, Rabada’s form is also a talking point. He has taken just six wickets at an average of 50.83, an unexpected performance after an Indian Premier League season where he was the second highest wicket-taker with 25 scalps at 14.72.

And Rabada admitted disappointment with his showing.

“I got a lot more results in the IPL. In this tournament, I think I have just done okay. I would have liked to have done better. These are the tournaments you really want to stand up in,” he added.

But one player has stood up for South Africa, their veteran leg-spinner Imran Tahir who, at 40 years old, is the oldest player in the competition.

He is also South Africa’s leading bowler, and the leading spinner at the World Cup, with 10 wickets at an average of 27.90 and an economy rate of 4.89.

But the biggest lesson South Africa have learnt is from Tahir’s enthusiasm and belief in himself and his ability.

“Imran has been bowling unbelievably well and his confidence has been high,” said Rabada.

“Sometimes the players who have confidence at the time are the ones who are going to lead. I think he is a leader.

Whatever he does, he is always up for the challenge. We can take a leaf out of his book. He is a leader for our team.”

Tahir has played 105 ODIs for South Africa since his debut in 2011, and is appearing at his third World Cup. He will retire from the 50-over format at the end of this tournament and needs nine more wickets to finish as the seventh-highest wicket-taker in South Africa’s history. He is currently eighth, with 172 wickets at an average of 24.43.

Rabada and the rest of the South African team will want to help send him off on a high.