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Chester-le-Street - Proteas stalwart Hashim Amla says he will consider his international future after the completion of the 2019 Cricket World Cup.
The 36-year-old, one of the greatest top order batsman South Africa has ever produced, has come under the spotlight over the past couple of seasons with runs and form just not coming as easily as they once did.
That attention has been heightened at the World Cup, where Amla has at times looked all at sea, especially against some of the game's quickest bowlers.
Concerns over Amla's eyes and his ability to pick up raw pace early enough have been shared among former players and pundits, while he has also batted at a laboured pace for much of the tournament.
However, on Friday at The Riverside in Chester-le-Street, Amla looked like his old self for the first time in a long time as he carved an undefeated 80* (105) to help South Africa cruise to a nine-wicket victory over Sri Lanka that came too late to save their World Cup.
Amla was his familiar, wristy self, carving his way through the offside while he was clipping anything too straight off his pads with an elegance that has accompanied him for well over a decade.
It may not have come against the most dangerous attack in world cricket, but Amla's effortless display of dominance against Sri Lanka suggested that there is life in him yet.
Because of his struggles for consistency when it has mattered most and his age, however, many South Africans feels it is time for Amla to call it a day on the international stage.
Speaking after Friday's match, skipper Faf du Plessis said that Amla could keep playing for longer if that was what he wanted.
When asked about his future directly, the soft-spoken Amla said he would seek more clarity upon returning home.
"I don't know," he said.
"Once the World Cup is done, I'll get home and chill with the family.
"I'm feeling good, I'm feeling fit."
Amla has now scored 203 runs in 7 innings at the World Cup, but because of a couple of healthy not outs against Afghanistan (41*) and now Sri Lanka, he is averaging 40.60 at the tournament.
His strike rate of 64.85, however, tells its own story of Amla's struggles.
"Nothing has changed," he said after his 39th ODI half-century.
"You have days like that, and things felt quite fluent. I just tried to concentrate on each ball as normal and thankfully it worked."
Amla will play what will almost certainly be his final World Cup match when the Protea take on Australia in Manchester on July 6.
@LloydBurnard is in England covering the 2019 Cricket World Cup for Sport24 ...
