New Delhi: South Africa would make history if they are able to win the T20 World Cup 2024 in their maiden attempt on Saturday. A team that could never cross the hurdle of ICC World Cup semi-finals either T20 or ODI, finally stormed into their first-ever final, beating a sprightly Afghanistan. Helmed by Aiden Markram, who has got all the reasons to garner praise, South Africa are a step closer to permanently crushing the knockout jinx they have long been attached to.
The Proteas aren’t known to handle pressure well on the big stage, as stated by the history. Meanwhile, opponents India look to end their more than a decade-long ICC trophy drought. Ahead of the summit clash on Saturday, Markram was made to recall the past when the Proteas have crumbled under pressure.
“Probably I just see it as a new game of cricket, to be honest. We all know India’s a great team. Us as a team, as South Africans, have been sort of trending in the right direction the last couple of years, but maybe not progressed in tournaments as far as we would have liked. So, an exciting occasion tomorrow against a good opposition in India, but a nice opportunity for us as the Proteas as well,” Markram said at the pre-match press conference.
Both South Africa and India have remained unbeaten in the tournament with the Proteas experiencing a lot of bumps in the form of close and nervy wins. Such has been the Proteas in the last few years. In the current event, they barely managed to edge pat Nepal and Bangladesh and even the low-scoring contest against co-hosts West Indies could have gone either way.
Confident South Africa
The South African skipper said that his players have gained a lot of confidence out of those close wins and they won’t settle for a runners-up finish.
“There have been close moments in games that would have probably affected the result and we managed to win those moments. To have done them two, three, maybe four times throughout the competition so far has sort of given the team the belief that you can win from any position, which I think is quite important for a team to have that,” said Markram.
While India might be the favourites heading into the final, the rampant run of South Africa with eight wins on the trot has a niche of its own. “It’s more the opportunity that we have of being in a final that sort of excites me quite a bit I think after the competition we will sit back and really appreciate what we’ve achieved so far as a team,” he said.
Markram remains hopeful of adding a fresh new chapter in the long cricket history of South Africa saying that he would love to win their first final. “And hopefully in the years to come that can break the burden of what a lot of other people are saying about us as a team,” he added.
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South Africa have made it to their first-ever ICC World Cup final and skipper Aiden Markram is all excited for the opportunity aiming to break the long-attached knockout curse. Cricket Sports News: Latest Cricket News, Cricket Live Score, Sports Breaking News from Sports Today
