Aiden Markram fuels ‘pitch talk’ amid Afghanistan coach’s explosive press conference comments

South African captain Aiden Markram was sure he didn’t want to play another match on the field here, but he was happy to see his team dominate a challenging track in the semi-final to enter the first T20 World Cup final. The Brian Lara Academy stadium deck offered considerable movement off the seam and the quick South Africans used it to the full to eliminate Afghanistan for a meager 56.

“If we reflect on this wicket, we will probably be very happy not to play here again. T20 cricket as a whole, you want entertainment,” Markram said at the post-match press meet after SA defeated Afghanistan by nine wickets.

Markram was delighted to see South Africa finding a way to win on a challenging track.

“The wickets we had throughout the competition were quite challenging. It is difficult to say that a wicket is not good because it cannot always be a batsman’s game.

“Having said that, we can still take the positives. Wickets are tough. So finding a way to win is probably the most important thing.” South Africa will now travel to Barbados for the final against India or England.

“We’ve been doing this for most of our careers, you jump from one location to another where the conditions are very different. So again it’s just adapting and playing the field and the game that’s in front of you.

“We will try to find ways to always take wickets with the ball and from a batting point of view try to get a score that is defendable. Both teams have to play on the same wicket,” he noted.

But for now, Markram wants to enjoy the feeling of entering the World Cup title race.

“The parts that we’re realizing now are obviously a really good feeling. This team has been together for a long time as a white-ball group and it’s good for us to get to the final.

“We feel and believe that we can compete with the best in the world and we can win trophies. It’s good for us now to have this opportunity.” The SA captain said winning close games in the group and Super Eight stages has boosted his confidence.

“You gain confidence by winning close games and potentially winning games you thought you weren’t going to win.

“It does a lot for the vibe in your locker room. So let’s take some confidence from that and see if we can build on that in the final,” she offered.

In a way, South Africa have atoned for all their past failures in global events, but Markram insisted the past was not an issue in the current dressing room.

“We don’t talk about it to be honest. I think it’s a personal and individual motivation to reach the final; to earn the opportunity to lift the trophy.

“So if you reflect, we didn’t get over the line in that semi-final (in the 50-over World Cup against Australia) and you look at tonight, a few things went our way. we meet in the final. The 29-year-old took a swipe at the South African bowlers for making the semi-final a lopsided game after bowling out Afghanistan for a record 56.

“The bowlers, the whole competition, have been really good. Probably saving the batsmen on certain occasions. So, you have to give them a lot of appreciation.

Markram had led South Africa to the under-19 World Cup title a decade ago but didn’t really count on that experience here.

“It’s been a long time and my memory isn’t great, but you gain a bit of confidence and belief knowing you’ve done it at a certain level before. There are similar pressures you have to deal with to be in the final,” she added.

Markram was also kind enough to recognize the wonderful performance that Afghanistan had in this event.

“It’s really cool to see. They have some of the best (players) in the world at the moment. So they are really on a good path. Making a semi-final for them is obviously huge. I think they inspired a lot of people back home.

“I saw some photos that also inspire us to try to make a difference for people at home. I’m sure it won’t be the end of them in scorching cricket,” she concluded.

(Except the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)