Former wicketkeeper-batsman Mark Boucher has stated South Africa ‘are nowhere near the best team’, ahead of next year’s World Cup in the United Kingdom.

Boucher played in three World Cups and is the head coach of the Titans, who are currently in the United Arab Emirates for the inaugural Abu Dhabi T20 Trophy.

‘See, people look at the team during every World Cup and on paper, we are a good team,’ Boucher told Gulf News.

‘I think we are probably going into this World Cup not such a good team on paper, which could be a good thing for South Africa.

‘I think we are nowhere near the best team. It is a good space to go in out there and surprise a few.

‘If you get into the semi-final or final then anything can happen. One good innings can win the day for you, so consistently we have to be at our best to get to a semi-final stage.’

South Africa have never won a World Cup title – and have notoriously lost four semi-finals. The Proteas and England will open the 2019 tournament at The Oval in London on 30 May. Challenging fixtures against Bangladesh, India, West Indies and more will follow.

‘The “choking” word comes out all the time and I feel that’s unfair because to win a World Cup you also need a lot of luck to go your way. There are a lot of good teams playing in the world at the moment,’ added Boucher.

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