“Destroyed” and “bruised” after South Africa’s heartbreak in the T20 World Cup final, captain Aiden Markram was aware that he could have won the game against India while chasing 177, which they considered a “passable total of persecution.” South Africa were so close to the trophy, but ended up so far away. They smelled lifting the World Cup trophy when the equation indicated 26 runs needed in the final four overs. With Heinrich Klaasen marshalling the spinners and David Miller waiting to open his arms at the other end, victory seemed minutes away from South Africa.
But the dynamics and calculation of the game changed when Hardik Pandya, Arshdeep Singh and Jasprit Bumrah decided to bear the brunt of the power duo.
The game went down to the wire but India held their nerves and emerged victorious with a 7-run victory, leaving South Africa in a position from which it will take some time to reflect on their campaign.
“Destroyed for now. It will take some time for us to have a good reflection on a really good campaign the group has had. Obviously for now, as I mentioned, it hurts a little. That being said, I am extremely proud of this group of players and all the involved in the team. I think they played well. I don’t think there was much to work on in terms of the field. game.
It was a game that kept spectators on the edge of their seats with all the expected twists and turns. After Klaasen’s quick fifty minutes ended, things changed quickly, taking the game out of South Africa’s hands.
In the next eighteen deliveries, South Africa lost two wickets after managing to turn the board just ten times, leaving them in a peculiar situation in the final over.
“A really good game of cricket. We’ve seen a lot of our games this campaign – it’s never over until the last ball is bowled. We never get comfortable, there’s always an element of pressure on the scoreboard. And especially in defense. In the end, things happen very quickly and they can also change quickly. We are in a great position, which proves we are worthy finalists,” Markram added.
When Klaasen was forcing spinners to effortlessly pick boundaries, South Africa looked set to lift their first T20I trophy. However, things ultimately did not fall in their favor, but their inspiring journey continues to be a proud moment for them.
“We could have won the game today. Unfortunately, we didn’t. Still, as I mentioned, we are incredibly proud of the group. Hopefully in a very good way. One thing guaranteed about South Africans, wherever they are in the world, is that they are a very competitive person, very respectful and a person who will go down in the fight. Hopefully, looking to the future, we can get a lot out of these few things and continue to put the skill side of the sport to good use. proud moment for us”, concluded Markram.
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