There are two things that have remained constant about South Africa's participation in ICC tournaments over the years. One, that they are always one of the contenders for the title and two, they always find a way of not winning.
The one exception to this rule was the inaugural edition of the Champions Trophy - then known as the ICC KnockOut Trophy - in 1998 which they won. That remains the only ICC trophy in their possession.
In 2017, the Proteas are again one of the top contenders and are a side packed with big names.
At the top of their batting line-up are two of the most prolific batsmen in ODI cricket today, Hashim Amla and Quinton de Kock.
Amla doesn't come across as an intimidating batsmen but his record makes him one of the greatest one-day players of all time. Going about his task in a quiet, unassuming manner, Amla, with an average above 50 and strike rate around 90, has been the fastest to 2000, 3000, 4000, 5000, 6000 and 7000 ODI runs.
Instead of power, he relies on timing assisted by supple wristwork for accumulating bucket-full of runs. He has achieved success in all conditions making him one of the, if not the, most dependable batsmen in the world.
His partner at the other end, de Kock is on his way to achieving similar heights, but in a diametrically opposed manner.
With fierce strokeplay, and a will to dominate, de Kock has already notched up a dozen centuries and he seems to be getting only better with time. He too, like his opening partner, has shown the ability to excel in all conditions but unlike him, tears the bowling completely apart when he gets going.
Captain AB de Villiers is widely regarded and revered as one of the modern-day greats. Possessing every quality required by batsmen - be it timing, power, hand-eye coordination - he is a man for all seasons and all situations. Whether it is launching an attack on the opposition bowlers in death overs or building an innings, de Villiers is the go-to man in the side. Undoubtedly, his will be the most sought-after wicket.
Another heavyweight in the line-up is Faf du Plessis who has been in prolific form over the last three years. Though overshadowed by his illustrious teammates on most occasions, he has shown the appetite for scoring big hundreds and is another key batsman who can help his side build an innings.
JP Duminy and David Miller are also highly capable players. The former is a classy batsmen who looks as competent as any other on his day while the latter is a devastating and powerful striker in the lower middle-order capable of providing a big surge towards the end of the innings.
Proteas's bowling stocks also look well-endowed. Kagiso Rabada has emerged as one of the most competent bowlers in the international circuit. Blessed with raw pace and gifted with great intelligence, Rabada will be a dangerman for opposition batsmen.
Chris Morris is a very useful seamer who can lend good support to Rabada. If the South Africans are looking for experience, then they can bring in Morne Morkel. While everyone recognises his main asset of height, his ability to adapt to conditions has made him a very successful bowler in all conditions.
Wayne Parnell, Dwaine Pretorious and Andile Phehlukwayo are other bowling options in the squad for the Proteas.
left-arm spinner Keshav Maharaj has shown tremendous potential. He uses subtle variations of flight and speed to have an impact. But the bigger threat would be perceived from Imran Tahir, currently No 1 ranked bowler in ODI's. A veteran in the game now, he uses various tricks including a deadly googly to fox the batsmen while having tremendous control of line and length for a leggie.
With such a power packed side, Proteas are one of the top favourites. However, their performance in this tournament will again depend on what happens between the ears and not just on the field.--