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Smith: Proteas need to re-evaluate for India

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Faf du Plessis (Getty Images)
Faf du Plessis (Getty Images)

Cape Town - Former Proteas skipper Graeme Smith says South Africa need to re-evaluate ahead of their must-win ICC Champions Trophy clash against India on Sunday.

This comes after the Proteas slumped to a 19-run defeat at the hands of Pakistan - thanks in part to a bit of rain.

Skipper AB de Villiers and his charges found it difficult to put runs on the board at Edgbaston and could only manage 219 - thanks to a unbeaten 75 by David Miller.

The Proteas couldn't tear through the Pakistani batting order quickly enough before rain had the final say and kept Pakistan's tournament hopes alive.

Smith, who is commentating at the Champions Trophy, was dumbfounded over the Proteas' loss to the No 8-ranked ODI team.

"I can't quite put my finger on what it is, but there just appears to be something missing from our play on this tour so far," Smith wrote in his ICC column.

"It may well be that the squad are slightly underdone in terms of the amount of cricket they've played as a unit in recent months, but even so, the loss to Pakistan will be tough for the boys to take."

Smith admits that their performance just "wasn't enough" and hopes that the team bounces back for the deciding game.

"To sum up, it was simply a poor day for South Africa," said Smith.

It's a must-win encounter for both teams after India's shocking loss to Sri Lanka on Thursday with one of these two teams advancing through to the semi-final.

South Africa play their final Group B fixture against India at the Oval on Sunday (11:30 SA time).

Read Graeme Smith's full ICC column

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