Proteas captain Temba Bavuma was seemingly oblivious to the backlash sent his way over the past few days since the team's Cricket World Cup exit in Kolkata, India.
Proteas white-ball coach Rob Walter has leaped to the defence of his team following yet another World Cup semi-final defeat to Australia in Kolkata on Thursday.
Australia will take on India in Sunday's Cricket World Cup final after edging the Proteas in a nerve-wrecking semi-final at Kolkata's Eden Gardens on Thursday.
Australia captain Pat Cummins is sure the five-time World Cup winners can use past experience of the big occasion to their advantage when they take on the Proteas in Kolkata.
SABC Sport looks at five key battles that could define the Cricket World Cup semi-final clash between Proteas and Australia at Eden Gardens in Kolkata.
Proteas captain Temba Bavuma is cognisant of the sentiment surrounding the current crop of players' potentially ending South Africa's wait for a Cricket World Cup, but guards against any entitlement of a final.