World Cup 2015: De Villiers backs Proteas to win trophy; but urges squad to take it 'match by match'

South African cricket captain AB de Villiers has backed his squad to win the Cricket World Cup, but has also revealed that they are taking it 'match by match'.

South Africa, who have often been regarded as the best team never to have won cricket's showpiece event, defeated a hapless Ireland in Canberra on Tuesday by 201 runs to record their third win in Pool B.

South Africa have fallen in the knock-out rounds after cruising through the league stages in earlier tournaments, but De Villiers was confident that history could be re-written this time, but preferred not to look too far ahead, Sport24 reported.

The skipper said that he has believed for the past year that they can win the World added that they are taking it pretty much match by match. He claimed that he has told the boys to try and not watch other games and just focus on what they have to do.

De Villiers claimed that the focus now is to play Pakistan in Auckland on Sunday. He insisted that when they reach the quarterfinals they would think of the opposition and give it their best shot.

South Africa's third win in four matches brought them level on six points with defending champions India, who have played one less match, while Ireland were left with four points from three games.

De Villiers said he was very happy with the performance against Ireland, especially the batting in which they piled up 411 for four and then bowled out the rivals for 210. The charge was led by Hashim Amla and Faf du Plessis, who hit centuries during a 247-run stand for the second wicket, the report added.