South Africa’s cricket stalwart Hashim Amla revealed how fasting in the holy month of Ramadan, helps him in the cricket. “It really helps with my conditioning,” Amla said, quoted Independent Online. “Fasting is something I always look forward to. It’s the best month of the year for me. Physically yes, you do feel thirsty and hungry. I see it as a great mental exercise. But most importantly, it is a great spiritual exercise as well, he added. Amla a practicing Muslim and one of the senior members of the Proteas squad said that he is available for his side to provide vital information and his experience. “It’s something you don’t try and force (giving advice to his teammates). It happens naturally. It’s not something I consciously think about, but I think it happens anyway. There’s a lot of experience in the playing XI and the coaching staff, so that osmosis of information and knowledge is going to happen anyway,” he said. Amla, who has scored 27 ODI centuries, and scored 65 and 51 not out respectively in the two warm-up games against Sri Lanka and West Indies is expected to make into the team as South Africa clash with hosts England in the World Cup opener.