Temba Bavuma excited to play at Sachin Tendulkar's home ground Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai

South African skipper Temba Bavuma has struggled in the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023.

Two matches will take place on Saturday in the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023. The first game will see a contest between Sri Lanka and the Netherlands in Lucknow. But the second game will be a blockbuster. It will show two power-houses facing each other. This will be England against South Africa at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. This stadium hosted the finals of the 2011 World Cup that India won and is one of the most iconic grounds in the world.

That's what South African skipper Temba Bavuma also feels. In his latest interview, Bavuma said that it was on his bucket-list as a cricketer to play a game at Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. He stated that he has always looked up to Sachin Tendulkar as a young kid, and it is the home ground of his idol.

Temba Bavuma excited to play at Wankhede Stadium

It will be a big game for both teams, as both are coming off upsets in their last games against weaker opponents. South Africa have won two of their three games, while England have lost two and won only one. South African skipper pointed out that the pitch helps the batters a lot. He said that he has heard from JP Duminy and Quinton de Kock, who have played at Wankhede, how good the pitch plays for the batters.

Temba Bavuma said, "I think for me, growing up and idolising a guy like Sachin Tendulkar, Wankhede was a stadium you always heard about. So, to have that opportunity to play here, that's another tick off my list as a cricketer. The guys that have played here, JP Duminy and Quinton de Kock, have spoken about how it can be a batter’s paradise. You get value for your shots, and the ball seems to travel further."

It hasn't been a great tournament for South African captain. He has scored just 59 runs in three innings at an average and strike rate of 19.66 and 64.83. He will look to do well this time around and help his team win. But it will not be easy, as England will come hard in the game. Both teams have some big names on their sides that can win the game single-handedly, and it is expected to be a massive contest. Notably, this is the first match in this tournament at Wankhede Stadium.