"We put up a score that gave us a chance and then again they got off to a flyer and we fought and we put ourselves back into the game,” added Walter.
Despite their recent success against Australia in ODIs, South Africa faced a formidable challenge in the World Cup semi-final, ultimately falling short in a closely contested encounter.
Walter highlighted the competitive nature of the match, downplaying any suggestion of a choke. He emphasized the effort and determination displayed by the players throughout the game.
“So for me there's nothing even remotely close to a choke that happened out there today. It's a serious contest between two good teams, number two and three in the tournament,"
"Today, I don't think anyone could watch and say it wasn't through lack of effort. I don't think anyone could say the guys didn't back themselves, they didn't back each other,” Walter said.
The coach stood firmly behind skipper Temba Bavuma, who faced criticism for his performance in the semi-final. Walter praised Bavuma's leadership and on-field presence, stating that his commitment to being on the field, despite not being fully fit, was crucial.
“From a batting point of view, we were confident that he would be able to go bat properly, run between wickets properly but he was sort of weighing that up with having him on the field present as the captain,”
"And for me that trumps it every day, having his leadership and his presence on the field is everything. We spoke about it, he said I'm not 100 per cent but I can definitely play and I want to be on the park,” said Walter.
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