Proteas 'match-winner' Sisanda Magala must keep growing - Temba Bavuma

This month marks two years since the 32-year-old made his international debut against Pakistan, but faced a barrage of questions over his feasibility as a pace bowler, given his excess weight.

However, he has silenced many doubters with his continuous match-winning performances – the latest of which saw him help South Africa to a much-needed victory over the Netherlands in their first ODI at Willowmoore Park in Benoni on Friday.

"I think Sisanda has also positioned himself as one of the match-winners in the team, more specifically with the ball. We saw today, he obviously picked up those wickets at that vital moment, he gave us some momentum and we kind of ran with it," said Bavuma.

"I think, for him, there's probably a lot of relief in terms of him getting the opportunities that he wants. There's not a lot of noise around matters outside of just the cricket, and I think he's thriving off that."

His career-best figures of 3/37 earned him the Man of the Match accolade but, more important, gave the Proteas 10 huge points in their quest for automatic World Cup qualification.

The skipper also believes his stunning rise on a personal level is rubbing off on the team, and hopes his maiden Indian Premier League gig with the Chennai Super Kings will continue shaping him as an integral player for Rob Walter's white-ball sides.

"I think, like all of us, confidence is a big thing. When things are clear, when there's good communication, you tend to enjoy and play your best cricket," Bavuma added.

"So, I think with Sisanda, a lot has happened for him in the last couple of months, a lot is still going to be happening – he'll obviously still be going to India. 

"I think for our sake as a team, we want him to learn, grow, and keep putting in those performances so come later in the year – not to say that he is in the squad – that he puts in those [same] performances."