Australia Captain Hugh Weibgen PREVIEWS WORLD CUP SEMI FINAL AGAINST PAKISTAN

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00:00 Thanks everyone for joining us here for this pre-semi-final press conference with Australia

00:04 captain Hugh Wiggin, ahead of Australia vs Pakistan tomorrow in Ben Ali.

00:10 We will be taking questions here in the room.

00:12 Sam, you're next up.

00:13 Okay.

00:13 Morning Hugh.

00:15 So it's a big match tomorrow against a very resilient side.

00:19 How are the nerves within the camp heading into tomorrow's semi-final?

00:24 Yeah, obviously we're a bit nervous for the semi-final.

00:26 I think we're really excited to get out there.

00:28 Obviously Pakistan have played really well throughout the tournament, had a close game

00:31 against Bangladesh to get here.

00:32 So you know, we know they're resilient as you said.

00:34 So yeah, we're nervous but we can't wait to get stuck in.

00:37 So then how do you prepare for a team like that?

00:39 I think it's just still doing the same things, you know, practice what we do well and doing

00:45 that a lot.

00:46 We've had a couple of really good training sessions the past couple of days.

00:48 So yeah, we're feeling prepared.

00:50 Hugh, I just want to ask you, you've had a bit of a break since your last game.

00:55 And the last game of course was washed out, no results.

00:58 Has that impacted or will that impact the momentum of the side coming into this game?

01:02 No, I don't think so.

01:03 We've, it's probably a good thing really, these long tournaments.

01:06 I think you need a little bit of a break getting towards the end.

01:08 A little bit of a refresh.

01:09 We had a bit of a travel day and a couple day break.

01:12 So yeah, it's good to get back into training and yeah, I don't think it should affect our

01:15 momentum.

01:15 The break conversely as well, could help you with new conditions here in Benoni.

01:19 How have you found the conditions here, the weather?

01:22 And also have you taken a look at the pitch yet?

01:24 What would you be expecting?

01:25 Yeah, obviously watched a little bit of the game yesterday and looked pretty good.

01:29 A bit more bounce I reckon than we had in Kimberley where we were.

01:32 The practice facility has been, you know, really good.

01:34 So I think it should be a bit more of a truer surface here.

01:37 So yeah, that's what we've observed so far.

01:39 Looking ahead to Pakistan in particular, what have you watched from them so far?

01:43 What do you expect from them to bring to the table ahead of tomorrow's game?

01:46 Yeah, obviously a quality side.

01:47 I think their pace bowlers have done really well up top.

01:50 And also their batters up top have performed really well.

01:53 So I think, you know, if we can try and get a few wickets early and get into that middle

01:56 order, that'll be a good result.

01:58 Win tomorrow sets up another very interesting prospect of an India vs Australia final.

02:04 So soon after the last one of the CAA/SEC event.

02:06 How excited are you about the potential for that?

02:10 Yeah, for sure.

02:11 Obviously excited.

02:12 Obviously watched the game back home when it was on.

02:16 And yeah, all the boys would like to replicate that.

02:18 We're just going to take it one game at a time and, you know, hopefully perform well

02:21 tomorrow and yeah, that'll take care of itself.

02:24 You mentioned earlier as well, you guys have been playing golf and enjoying some of the

02:28 social activities around South Africa.

02:30 How has that helped you in the league?

02:33 Yeah, it's been good fun.

02:34 Just a little break away from cricket for a day.

02:36 Unfortunately, I'm not allowed to play.

02:38 Physio will be onto that.

02:40 But yeah, no, the boys loved it.

02:42 Had a good time out there and yeah, it was good to be away from the cricket nets for

02:46 once.

02:46 Yeah.

02:51 How have you enjoyed the conditions in South Africa and how do they differ from what you

02:55 used to back home?

02:56 Yeah, we've enjoyed it.

02:58 It's quite hot back home for a lot of us.

03:00 Some of us come from pretty hot places, but a bit tougher to breathe here.

03:03 I reckon we were doing a bit of fitness.

03:05 The altitude, yeah, but no, it's been good.

03:08 Yourself as the young Australian team, I know that you've been touted as one of the teams

03:14 to look out for.

03:15 Have you guys felt under pressure at all entering into this event and throughout the tournament

03:20 as a whole?

03:21 I wouldn't really say felt pressure coming into it.

03:23 You know, we're all great mates and have the belief in each other, but we obviously felt

03:27 pressure in a couple of, we had a couple of close games in the round fixtures, which, you

03:31 know, put us in good stead, I think, for these, hopefully this semi and hopefully the final.

03:35 So yeah.

03:35 You guys have been known as a team that is very good at finishing, clinching very close

03:41 games.

03:42 How do you guys go about that mentally because it seems to be the edge that beats out other

03:47 teams?

03:47 Yeah, I think we can take confidence from the previous fixtures when we've been able

03:50 to get the job done when we're probably not looking 100 percent.

03:53 But yeah, it's a good sign when we're not playing our best cricket and finding a way

03:57 to win.

03:57 So yeah.

03:58 And you guys look like you're having a lot of fun out there.

04:01 Are you guys having that kind of fun?

04:04 Are you having a lot of fun?

04:05 Yeah, for sure.

04:06 I'm loving it.

04:07 We're all great mates.

04:08 So, you know, we love being out there together and off the field too, having a great time.

04:12 So yeah, it's just been such a good experience so far and yeah, looking forward to tomorrow.

04:16 And just finally, how important is it to have fun both on and off the field just in terms

04:21 of being at an event in a tournament and just strengthening that balance between the two?

04:26 Yeah, I think the balance is really important.

04:28 These tournaments can go for a while.

04:30 It's our first tournament for most of us apart from one.

04:32 So yeah, we're obviously a little bit inexperienced in that.

04:34 So we need to give ourselves a little bit of time to ourselves.

04:36 But it's also about, you know, enjoying the time with your mates and yeah, having fun.

04:40 Okay, thank you.

04:42 Thank you.

04:45 Thank you.

04:46 [BLANK_AUDIO]

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