Proteas captain Temba Bavuma says the ODI team will use the upcoming series against Pakistan to start their buildup to the 2023 Cricket World Cup.

Bavuma will begin his first game as captain of the limited-overs teams on Friday in the first of three ODIs against Pakistan at SuperSport Park.

And, while the 30-year-old is also emphasising the significance of back-to-back T20I World Cups at the end of this year and in 2022, he is eyeing this series as his first chance to apply his captaincy style to the team.

‘We have the opportunity now, building up to 2023 to the World Cup, to define our style of play and how we want to go about our business,’ he told reporters on Monday.

‘If you look at South Africa, we have always been a more than competitive ODI unit, even to the point where the guys have got to positions of No 1. For me, it’s about trying to define a style of play, create something that makes us accountable and, most importantly, to be able to institute that style of play in any conditions or any occasion.’

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The Proteas will, however, have to compete without some of their big-name players, following the completion of the second ODI on Sunday.

Quinton de Kock, Anrich Nortje, Kagiso Rabada, Lungi Ngidi and David Miller will leave for the IPL, which gets under way at the end of next week.

It means the Proteas will play the final ODI (next Wednesday) and the four-match T20I series against Pakistan with a somewhat different- looking team.

Bavuma believes it presents the opportunity for some of the younger players in the two squads to put their hands up with these three World Cups on the horizon.

‘The guys who are here can take comfort in the fact that the World Cup squads will be coming from this group, so it’s important that guys acknowledge that there is an opportunity and that they know where they can fit in within that squad. My message to the young guys is that the opportunity is there and make sure you keep churning out those performances,’ he added.