South Africa’s captain, Aiden Markram, expressed his joy at reaching his first World Cup final and highlighted the team’s belief and winning close matches as key factors.
South Africa captain Aiden Markram expressed his delight at reaching his first World Cup final after his team’s dominant nine-wicket victory over Afghanistan in the 2024 T20 World Cup semi-final.
“This team’s been together for a long time now as a white-ball unit, and it’s fantastic for us to finally reach a final. We’ve always believed we can compete with the best and win trophies, and now we have the opportunity to prove ourselves,” Markram said at the post-match press conference.
Markram highlighted the importance of winning close matches earlier in the tournament in building the team’s confidence. “Those wins definitely give you the belief that you can overcome challenges and pull off victories. It creates a positive atmosphere in the locker room, and we hope to carry that momentum into the final,” he explained.
While South Africa’s past struggles in global tournaments might be on the minds of fans, Markram emphasised that the current squad is focused on the present. “We haven’t discussed past failures. Reaching a final and having the chance to lift the trophy is a personal motivator for each player. We fell short in the 50-over World Cup semi-final, but tonight things clicked for us, and we’re here,” said Aiden.
Markram’s experience leading South Africa to the Under-19 World Cup title a decade ago offered some perspective. “It was a long time ago, but it does give you a bit of confidence knowing you’ve achieved success at this level before. A final brings similar pressures, and that’s something I can hopefully draw on,” he concluded.
South Africa will now face the winner of the second semi-final between India and England in the much-anticipated T20 World Cup final.
Last Updated on June 27, 2024
