FILE - Proteas fast bowler Lungi Ngidi pictured in a 2023 ICC Cricket World Cup against Afghanistan. Ngidi will lead the Proteas attack when the two teams meet in an ODI series in the UAE. FILE - Proteas fast bowler Lungi Ngidi pictured in a 2023 ICC Cricket World Cup against Afghanistan. Ngidi will lead the Proteas attack when the two teams meet in an ODI series in the UAE. Picture: Sajjad Hussain / AFP
Proteas speedster Lungi Ngidi is fit and ready to lead the Proteas’ attack in their One-Day International series against Afghanistan in the United Arab Emirates this week.
Ngidi will spearhead the Proteas’ attack in their first ODI series since going down to India 2-1 on home soil in December. Kagiso Rabada, Gerald Coetzee and Marco Jansen have been rested for the series, with Ottniel Baartman, Nandre Burger and Lizaad Williams set to back up Ngidi in the fast-bowling stakes.
Wiaan Mulder is also an option with the new ball, while uncapped Dolphins all-rounders Andile Simelane and Jason Smith can also turn their arms over.
But the Proteas will be looking at Ngidi to set the tone with the new ball against an Afghanistan unit who likes to tee off at the top of their innings. It’s something the Titans speedster is not too concerned about, having been in the set-up for quite some time now and regularly plays around the world in the various cricket leagues.
“I wouldn’t say it’s anything new [leading the attack]. Playing in a lot of teams around the world ... sometimes you slot in there as a senior player being an international. The role is not something unfamiliar to me,” Ngidi said.
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“I think the only thing you can say is that the other guys aren’t here - they are being rested - so whoever is here must step into the role. It’s not something I haven’t done before, and it won’t feel any different to me now.
“I’m hoping to help the guys where I can and sharing the information and knowledge that I have. At the end of the day, we still have a job to do and do that as best as possible.”
Ngidi has had a stop-start time of it since the last 50-over Cricket World Cup in India in 2023, with injuries preventing him from building up a good rhythm with the ball.
His latest injury came in the recent Test series against the West Indies, when he missed the second Test and the subsequent T20 International series.
Ngidi has since featured for the Titans and in a few warm-up matches leading into this series and against Afghanistan, and is rather philosophical about his time on the sidelines.
“To be honest, it doen’t affect me as much as it used to. Probably everyone thinks that it affects you so badly that you are upset or in a bad mood,” said Ngidi.
“I’ve been playing for a while now, and I’m just taking it one game at a time. Injuries happen - probably won’t be my last one as well - and you take it in your stride.
“Sometimes the timing is unfortunate, and at the end of the day if I’m not ready to play, then I’m not ready to play. But as soon as I am, the coaches gave me the go-ahead and here I am.”
The three ODIs will be played in Sharjah on Wednesday, Friday and Sunday. All three matches will start at 2pm SA time.
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