That said, there are still ambitions from his side to be fit and in form for the 2027 ICC Cricket World Cup that will be played in South Africa.

At 36 years old, Van der Dussen is one of the oldest players in the Proteas setup, and he has been featuring less frequently for the national side. Despite maintaining an impressive ODI batting average of 48.38, he acknowledges that his time at the top level may be nearing its end.

While Van der Dussen did not explicitly state that he is retiring, he admitted that age and increasing competition in the squad are factors to consider. However, he remains at peace with the possibility that his international career may not continue for much longer.

“It’s definitely a possibility that this could be my last ICC tournament. I’m not saying that with any preconceived ideas I’ll call time on my career or that management will make that decision for me. It’s just the reality,” said Van der Dussen.

“I think it’s a great thing that so many young players are coming through – guys who are really playing well. Take someone like Tristan Stubbs, who’s sitting on the sidelines, or Tony de Zorzi. Then, if you look at the domestic circuit, Matthew Breetzke came in and made that 150. 

“You can go even further back – Lhuan-dre Pretorius just scored a century, I think yesterday, against Western Province in the One-Day Cup. And Ryan Rickelton is only really starting out now. There are so many good players.

“I’m not blind to the fact that if I don’t perform, there are others waiting to take my place. I certainly don’t expect any preferential treatment. I think in a healthy environment, players push one another, which drives everyone to improve. That’s where we find ourselves now.

“I always wanted to make it to the Champions Trophy, and now that it’s here, we’ll reassess after that. My national contract runs until the end of April, possibly into May. I suppose I’ll have discussions with Rob Walter and Enoch Nkwe to see where they see me fitting in and what my role might be going forward. Physically, I feel good, and I’m still putting a lot of effort into my fitness.

“It could go either way – if I’m still good enough in two years, I’d like to think I’ll be in the mix. But if other guys are pushing ahead and I can’t keep up with the youngsters, then that’s also fine.”

Meanwhile, on Saturday, the Proteas will face England in Karachi in their final Group B match. Depending on the outcome of Friday’s clash between Australia and Afghanistan in Lahore, South Africa may need to beat England to advance to the semi-finals. Their ideal scenario would be to secure a victory against England and finish at the top of Group B.

OFM Sport/Morgan Piek mvh