Kepler Wessels, talking on Supersport, has praised Rilee Rossouw and Kyle Abbott’s performance against the West Indies in Sydney on Friday.

South Africa won by a record 257 runs after scoring 408-5, the biggest winning margin in the history of the World Cup. AB de Villiers scored a record 162 not out, while Imran Tahir claimed a five-wicket haul to reduce the West Indies to 151 all out.

According to Wessels, both Abbott and Rossouw should be retained in the side going forward.

‘Kyle Abbott got the ball to swing. Our use of the new ball was better than against India and we were much more clinical,’ said Wessels.

‘The overall performance of the team was exactly what we asked for. It was a brilliant performance with the bat and a good one with the ball. You can only play what’s in front of you.’

Wessels believes there is room for both Abbott and the injured Vernon Philander in the starting XI.

‘With the right balance we can play both of them. Rilee Rossouw also proved his worth today and I don’t think you can drop him now.’

Referring to the loss against India last Sunday, Wessels said it didn’t bother him too much.

‘I think it came at the right time. We have peaked too early in previous World Cups, but the team will go from strength to strength after this victory.

‘We will qualify comfortably for the quarter-finals, and it doesn’t really matter if we finish the pool stages in first or second place. It’s still early, but it’s looking like a possible quarter-final against Sri Lanka at this stage, which isn’t a bad thing at all.’