Cricket World Cup 2023: South African players try pronouncing 'Thiruvananthapuram', hilarious video goes viral

The entire South African cricket team took on the challenge of pronouncing 'Thiruvananthapuram,' resulting in some humorous attempts. Players like David Miller, Rassie van der Dussen, Kagiso Rabada, and Heinrich Klaasen gave it their best shot, but their efforts left everyone amused.

Hyderabad: The ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 is just around the corner, with ten nations set to compete for the coveted trophy. South Africa enters the tournament as a formidable contender, often referred to as the 'dark horses.' They've arrived in Thiruvananthapuram for a warm-up match against New Zealand on October 2.

Before the match, the entire South African team took on the challenge of pronouncing 'Thiruvananthapuram,' resulting in some humorous attempts. Players like David Miller, Rassie van der Dussen, Kagiso Rabada, and Heinrich Klaasen gave it their best shot, but their efforts left everyone amused.

Congress leader Shashi Tharoor, who is a third-term Lok Sabha MP representing the Thiruvananthapuram constituency, shared a hilarious video of the South African players trying to pronounce the city's name with most of them failing miserably. "The South African have arrived in Thiruvananthapuram! But can they tell anyone where they are?" Tharoor posted on X (formerly Twitter).

• The South African have arrived in Thiruvananthapuram ! But can they tell anyone where they are? pic.twitter.com/N9LnyVLVH9

  — Shashi Tharoor (@ShashiTharoor) October 1, 2023 " class="align-text-top noRightClick twitterSection" data="

  The South African have arrived in Thiruvananthapuram ! But can they tell anyone where they are? pic.twitter.com/N9LnyVLVH9

  — Shashi Tharoor (@ShashiTharoor) October 1, 2023

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  The South African have arrived in Thiruvananthapuram ! But can they tell anyone where they are? pic.twitter.com/N9LnyVLVH9

  — Shashi Tharoor (@ShashiTharoor) October 1, 2023

South Africa's first warm-up game against Afghanistan was cancelled due to rain, making their match against New Zealand crucial for finalizing their preparations. Their campaign officially begins on October 7 against Sri Lanka at Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi, led by captain Temba Bavuma.

Despite several close calls in the past, South Africa has never won the World Cup. They faced heartbreak in the semi-finals in 1992 due to a rain rule, bowed out in the quarter-finals in 1996, and had a memorable tie against Australia in the 1999 semi-final, followed by a loss to the same team in the 2007 final. The 2011 and 2015 editions also ended in disappointment with quarterfinal and semi-final exits, respectively. South Africa is determined to break their trophy drought in this upcoming edition.