Publications
Partners
Cape Town - Lungi Ngidi says he is most looking forward to South Africa's June 5 clash against India at this year's Cricket World Cup.
The format this year means that all 10 sides will play against each other with the top four sides on the log qualifying for the semi-finals.
South Africa will have already played against England (May 30) and Bangladesh (June 2) before they get to India, but regardless of what happens in those first two matches the clash at the Rose Bowl will be massive.
The last time the sides met in ODI cricket it didn't go well for South Africa, and that is precisely why Ngidi is so keen on making things right.
In early 2018, India demolished the Proteas 5-1 in a six-match ODI series in South Africa with the inexperienced Aiden Markram captaining for the bulk of the series as Faf du Plessis missed out through injury.
Ngidi made his ODI debut in that series, and he remembers it vividly.
"I'm looking forward to India," he said before South Africa's departure to England last week.
"When they came here, they had a good series against us, so in my mind I feel that we owe them one.
"I'm excited about that one and I think the rest of the guys are too.
"They're a great team, don't take that away from them, but when they were here, we were missing a few players. We'll see what happens."
Still just 23-years-old, being selected for the World Cup squad is the highlight of Ngidi's short international career so far.
The focus, though, is not on personal gains but rather the side pulling together to do something special.
"I'd love to win it, that would be the main thing," Ngidi said.
"Personally, I don't like to set myself too many goals because if you don't reach them you tend to be very hard on yourself. You take it one game at a time.
"It's a dream come true. Since we started this journey and since I started playing international cricket it is something that was always brought to my attention.
"There is nothing but excitement going there, and it would be a dream come true to win it and bring it back home to South Africa."
Start your engines. #CWC19 pic.twitter.com/aQhuSm4Of0
— Lungi Ngidi (@NgidiLungi) May 20, 2019
