‘Almost like freedom’: Rabada embraces home World Cup challenge

South Africa quick Kagiso Rabada believes there is no extra pressure on his side to perform when it comes to playing on home turf at next year’s ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup.

All eyes will be on South Africa in 2027 when they co-host the 14th edition of the 50-over World Cup alongside Zimbabwe and Namibia, and Rabada can’t wait for the action to begin.

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Fuelling his confidence ahead of the showcase event is a South African side that has shown incredible consistency across formats in recent years, highlighted by their ICC World Test Championship triumph at Lord’s in 2025.

There comes added expectations for the Proteas with those improved performances, but Rabada is adamant that won’t add further pressure on his side when the tournament commences next year.

“Well, I think there's a lot more to it at the moment with us hosting it,” Rabada told the ICC at the official Cricket World Cup 2027 venue and brand announcement event in Johannesburg recently.

“It's almost like freedom as well. I don't feel the pressure of us playing at home and feeling the need to win it.

“It's almost like, we're at home and we're going to defend this fortress. And that's what it means to me. It's about representing the badge.”

Rabada has been present in South Africa’s two most recent 50-over World Cup campaigns in 2019 and 2023, but the right-armer admitted his mind floats back in time to before he was born in 1992 upon the first mention of the famous event.

An iconic moment from the tournament that Rabada says still inspires him is the iconic spell from Pakistan great Wasim Akram from the Cricket World Cup Final against England at the MCG.

It was a spell that saw Wasim turn the tide in Pakistan’s favour to clinch their maiden title and Rabada would love nothing more than doing similar for South Africa on home soil in 2027.

“One World Cup moment from the past that I'll never forget, because I'm a bowler, I'm going to go to the bowlers' club was Wasim Akram against England in the final,” Rabada said.

“Him just cleaning up (the stumps) and putting on a show to take it home for his country and showing the passion and the skill.

“He was fast, had so much skill, and just had this presence, this heightened energy about him that he was there to play.”

And Rabada believes confidence in the South Africa camp is high following their epic triumph over Australia in the final of the World Test Championship last year.

“We've shown that we can go and play in finals and in the semifinals,” Rabada said.

“It’s just about that last step. So the confidence is there. The belief is most definitely there, just about going that one extra step.”