"We're the best team in the World Cup" - AB de Villiers
South Africa have had a stop-start 2015 World Cup campaign so far, having suffered demoralizing losses to India and Pakistan in between brushing aside West Indies, Ireland and Zimbabwe by comprehensive margins. Despite the mixed results, however, skipper AB de Villiers believes that they are the best side in the competition and is confident of things falling into place from here on.
"I believe 100 percent we're the best team in the tournament. It's all positive from here on in, I still feel very confident,” de Villiers said.
"Those two losses in the group stages did hurt us a bit and did hurt me a bit, but we're past that now. We know we're three games away from taking that World Cup home,” he added.
Chasing totals not a big issue: de Villiers
The 31-year-old is South Africa’s leading run-getter in the tournament with 318 runs in 5 matches, but he hasn’t always got able support from the other batsmen. De Villiers remains confident, though, that it is just a matter of time before they strike form.
“There are a few guys I'd like to get into form... all around I'd just like to show a good performance. I believe there are a few guys due for big runs, and it's going to happen soon, at the right time,” he said.
Talking about his side’s inability to chase down totals against India and Pakistan, the right-hander said that his team haven’t got the basics right while pursuing a target and once they set that right, they should have no issues tracking down totals.
"It's not a problem. We've done it in the last year a few times under pressure. As long as we get (the basics) right, then I truly believe we can chase down anything,” he said.
Finally, when he was asked whether he would look to experiment with his playing XI against minnows United Arab Emirates (UAE) on Thursday with their qualification for the quarter-finals already guaranteed, de Villiers wasn’t certain.
"It's a difficult one, you don't want to mess around too much with your best possible 11, keeping in mind that all 15 need to play somewhere along the line in the World Cup," he said.