Proteas captain Temba Bavuma is hoping his “stubborn” nature will help dull the pain of injury as he plots a path to the World Cup final.

Bavuma made 23 as his team completed their group campaign with a five-wicket win over Afghanistan in Ahmedabad.

“My leg is sore. I don’t know the extend of it yet but I’ll have to be fine. I am stubborn, it will have to be fine,” said the 33-year-old, who has scored 145 runs at this World Cup in seven innings at an average of 20.71.

With a semi-final looming against five-time champions Australia next week Bavuma insists he needs to be at the heart of the action as South Africa stand just two wins away from a maiden World Cup triumph.

“I could have not batted, but I want to be out there for my team,” added Bavuma who missed the wins over England and Bangladesh earlier in the tournament through illness. “It was an opportunity to get time in the middle that I didn’t want to miss.

“Leading this team is so important to me, to marshal the bowlers and keep building that, so I felt it was the right decision to stay out there.”

HIGHLIGHTS: Proteas vs Afghanistan (2023 CWC)

© Agence France-Presse

Photo: Sajjad Hussain/AFP