Cape Town - Former South African fast bowler Allan Donald believes that the Proteas Cricket World Cup campaign has been badly dented by the loss of AB de Villiers.

Donald was speaking at the 2019 Cricket World Cup launch at Brick Lane in London to start the countdown for next year's showpiece.

READ: One-year countdown to Cricket World Cup begins

The 51-year-old reckons that without former Proteas star batsman AB de Villiers, who announced his retirement last week, South Africa's chances are not looking good.

"Well we just lost one of our biggest assets in AB de Villiers," said Donald.

"South Africa will always challenge and get close to winning the World Cup. Losing him (AB), not to say that we won't win the World Cup, but AB was just a massive loss. 

"They will challenge, definitely."

Donald, known as "White Lightning" during his career, told Press Association Sport that he reckons England to lift up the trophy in their own backyard.

"I don't think they are totally out of it. But without AB de Villiers, with him in the team they would have had a huge chance," he said.

"I'd have to say watching England, I reckon in their own backyard they will be very tough to beat."

Donald, who is a former Proteas bowling coach, played 72 Tests and 164 ODIs for South Africa.