LONDON — South Africa captain Faf du Plessis says the team's record of repeated World Cup heartbreak will have no bearing on a largely youthful squad at the 2019 tournament.

Since making their World Cup debut in 1992 after decades of apartheid-enforced isolation, South Africa have won just one of seven knockout matches — a quarterfinal against Sri Lanka in Sydney four years ago.

They have reached the semifinals four times but have yet to make a final, with a match-winning innings from South Africa-born all-rounder Grant Elliott seeing them beaten by New Zealand in 2015.

And when the World Cup was last staged in England 20 years ago, a dramatic semifinal tie with Australia saw South Africa bow out on net run-rate.

But Du Plessis said that even though he and fellow senior players such as Hashim Amla and Dale Steyn had endured their fair share of World Cup pain, it would not be an issue this time around.

"You can't control history — I am a firm believer in that," Du Plessis said at a World Cup captains' press conference in London.

"All you can try and focus on is what is ahead. If you are good enough on the day then great, but if the opposition are better on the day then that's OK," he added.

"The squad that we have here compared to previous tournaments are a lot younger and with those new faces comes exciting opportunities."

South Africa have arguably the toughest start to the group phase, which sees the 10 teams all play each other, when they face World Cup hosts and favorites England in the tournament opener at the Oval on Thursday.

England have twice broken the record for the highest One-Day International in the past three years.

But with conditions promising to be ideal for batting, Du Plessis believes it is bowlers who could yet determine the destiny of the World Cup.

And with an attack led by an outstanding fast bowler in Kagiso Rabada, South Africa could trouble their opponents' top-orders.

"I think bowlers will win this tournament," he said. "Batters will score runs on good wickets, so the team towards the end will be the team that will have done well with the ball — teams that can take wickets on flat pitches."

S Africa announce fixtures

for England, Australia series

South Africa will host England for four Tests and a limited overseas series and then Australia in Twenty20 and One Day Internationals in a packed summer program, cricket South Africa announced in Cape Town on Friday.

England will start their tour with two warm-up matches in December before the first Test in Pretoria from Dec. 26-30. They will then play three more Tests at Newlands in Cape Town, St Georges Park in Port Elizabeth and at the Wanderers in Johannesburg in January 2020. England are also scheduled to play three ODIs and three T20s against South Africa in February.

Australia are scheduled for three T20s and three ODIs in February and March.

England tour: Dec 17-18 v Invitation XI, Willowmore Park, Benoni Dec 20-22 v South Africa A, Willowmore Park, Benoni Dec 26-30 First Test, Centurion, Pretoria Jan 3-8 Second Test, Newlands, Cape Town Jan 16-20 Third Test, St Georges Park, Port Elizabeth Jan 24-28 Fourth Test, Wanderers, Johannesburg Jan 31 ODI v Invitation XI, Paarl Feb 1 ODI v Invitation XI, Paarl Feb 4 First ODI, Newlands, Cape Town Feb 7 Second ODI, Kingsmead, Durban Feb 9 Third ODI, Wanderers, Johannesburg Feb 12 First T20, Buffalo Park, East London Feb 14 Second T20, Kingsmead, Durban Feb 16 Third T20, Centurion, Pretoria

Australia tour: Feb 21 First T20, Wanderers, Johannesburg Feb 23 Second T20, St Georges Park, Port Elizabeth Feb 26 Third T20, Newlands, Cape Town Feb 29 First ODI, Paarl March 4 Second ODI, Manguang Oval, Bloemfontein March 7 Third ODI, Potchefstroom. — Agencies