Cricket

Ravi Shastri's electrifying commentary at the toss of the India vs South Africa T20 World Cup final in Barbados left the crowd in stitches. Known for his passionate monologues, Shastri delivered a roaring introduction that had Rohit Sharma, Aiden Markram, and even match referee Richie Richardson in splits.Shastri referred to Markram as a "potential punching bag" in the green corner, ready to land an uppercut for the first time. He then introduced Rohit Sharma as the one "punching all the way through the tournament."Shastri's humor extended to match referee Richie Richardson, who he described as "West Indies' very own, the one there to keep things calm and be the potential punching bag."The toss proceedings were held in bright sunshine and with a gusty wind blowing across the 28,000-capacity Kensington Oval, which was expected to be sold out for the game.India captain Rohit Sharma won the toss and opted to bat first. Both Rohit and his South African counterpart Markram named unchanged line-ups from the teams that won their respective semi-finals.

South Africa, a team historically known for crumbling under pressure in major tournaments, has shown remarkable resilience in the ongoing T20 World Cup 2024. Their captain, Aiden Markram, attributes this newfound confidence to their ability to pull off close wins, instilling a belief that victory is possible in any situation.Ahead of the highly anticipated final against India, Markram acknowledged the team's past struggles but emphasized their determination to break free from that burden. He highlighted the team's recent victories over Nepal, Bangladesh, and West Indies, which were all decided by narrow margins."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," Markram said. "I think that's quite important for a team to have."While India remains the overwhelming favorite, South Africa has several factors in their favor. They are eager to create a new chapter in their cricketing history and are not letting the pressure of the occasion overwhelm them."We're kind of used to it now," Markram said of the team's frequent travel and schedule disruptions. "There's no point sulking around and making it more miserable than what it might already seem to be."Markram also emphasized the team's hunger to win the title, regardless of the result. "I think there's still a massive hunger for us to go out and win tomorrow's game," he said. "We'd love to get to our first final and be able to win that first final."South Africa's newfound confidence and resilience will be put to the ultimate test against a formidable Indian team. However, the Proteas are determined to prove that they are no longer the team that crumbles under pressure and are ready to make history in Barbados.

South Africa's maiden T20 World Cup final berth has been secured after a dominant nine-wicket victory over Afghanistan in the semifinals. Despite the challenging pitch at the Brian Lara Academy stadium, the Proteas' quicks delivered a stellar performance, bowling out Afghanistan for a mere 56 runs.Captain Aiden Markram expressed his relief at not having to play on the same pitch again, acknowledging its unpredictable nature. However, he praised his team's ability to adapt and find a way to win on a difficult surface."It's hard to tell that a wicket is not good because it can't just always be a batter's game," Markram said. "But finding a way to win is probably the most important thing."The Proteas' victory was built on a strong bowling performance, with Kagiso Rabada and Anrich Nortje leading the charge. Afghanistan's batters struggled to cope with the movement and pace, managing only 56 runs in 10.4 overs.Markram highlighted the importance of winning close games in the group and Super Eights stages, which boosted their confidence. He also acknowledged the team's past failures in global events but emphasized that the current squad is focused on the present opportunity."We feel and believe that we can compete with the best in the world and we can win trophies," Markram said. "It's nice for us to now have that opportunity."The Proteas will now face either India or England in the final in Barbados. Markram emphasized the need to adapt to the different conditions and play to their strengths."We'll try to find ways to always take wickets with the ball and from a batting point of view try to get to a score that's defendable," he said. "Both teams have to play on the same wicket."Markram also praised Afghanistan's impressive run in the tournament, acknowledging their talented players and the inspiration they have provided."They have some of the best (players) in the world at the moment," Markram said. "I'm sure it's not going to be the end of them making knockout cricket."

South Africa's maiden T20 World Cup final appearance is within reach after their emphatic nine-wicket victory over Afghanistan in the first semifinal. Skipper Aiden Markram urged his team to remain composed and fearless ahead of the title clash.Markram hailed his bowlers for restricting Afghanistan to a paltry 56 runs. "We were brilliant with the ball, got it in the right areas and kept it really simple," he said. "The bowlers have been incredible for us."The batting, however, faced some challenges on a pitch offering pronounced seam movement. "It was challenging with the bat, as no batter is going to lie and tell you it was easy out there," Markram admitted. "We had a bit of luck and then got a bit of a partnership."Markram expressed relief at the comfortable victory. "We have had a few close games and a few people back home would have woken up early with more grey hairs. Glad today was a bit more comforting," he added.Player of the match Marco Jansen, who claimed three early wickets, emphasized their focus on accuracy. "Awesome feeling. The guys played really well, we executed perfectly," he said. "We just wanted to stick to our plan, bowl good lengths and see how the wicket reacts."Afghanistan skipper Rashid Khan expressed disappointment but acknowledged the team's progress. "It was tough for us as a team. We might have done better but the conditions didn't allow us to do what we wanted," he said. "That's how T20 cricket is, you need to be ready for all conditions."Khan believes the tournament has been a valuable learning experience for his side. "It is just the beginning for us, we have the confidence and belief to beat any side," he said. "We just need to keep our processes. This has been a great learning experience for us."

Aiden Markram, the current South African captain, has a unique perspective on his early experience as captain in 2018. Despite a disappointing series loss to India, Markram views that time as a valuable learning opportunity."I'd never regret taking captaincy for your national team," Markram said. "I learned quite a bit through that series and had some really awesome senior players guiding me."One of the key lessons Markram learned was to separate his batting from his captaincy. "Back then I was quite young, so [not] being able to tell the difference between being a batter and a captain," he said. "So, when you're a batter, you're just a batter for the team. You can't captain in any way while you're batting."Markram has since developed into a versatile middle-order batter who can adapt to different situations. His ability to hit hard lengths and high pace, combined with Heinrich Klaasen's demolition of spin, makes South Africa a formidable force in limited-overs cricket.As captain, Markram is not seeking to make a clean break from the past. He is focused on keeping the batting and the captaining separate. "For the time being, we're trying to achieve something we haven't achieved before," Markram said. "So, I don't think that brings too much extra pressure. I think it brings a bit more excitement and energy to the team."Markram's calm and collected demeanor is a reflection of his personality. He is not one for tall promises or stern words. Instead, he leads by example and trusts in the abilities of his team.

Aiden Markram, the captain of the South African cricket team, holds a unique distinction: he is the only South African captain to have led a team to victory in a World Cup. Markram's triumph came in the 2014 Under-19 World Cup, the only global cricket trophy won by South Africa.While Markram acknowledges the significant difference between a junior tournament and the men's Twenty20 World Cup, he draws upon his experience as a source of confidence. "There aren't so many eyes watching you in an age-group tournament," Markram said. "Now there is a lot more planning and preparation."Markram's leadership in 2014 was exemplary, as he scored 370 runs at an average of 123.33 and was named player of the tournament. He was also supported by the precocious fast bowling talent of Kagiso Rabada, who was the side's leading wicket-taker.However, South Africa's T20 results under Markram and coach Rob Walter have been less than impressive. The team has managed only two wins in eight matches, all played at home. Markram believes the results don't tell the full story, as South Africa has seldom fielded a full-strength team.Despite their low ranking, Markram is confident in his team's abilities. South Africa boasts a potentially powerful batting line-up, with players of the quality of Quinton de Kock, Markram, Heinrich Klaasen, David Miller, and Tristan Stubbs.Coach Walter has selected bowlers who he believes can strike in the crucial early overs of a T20 contest. Anrich Nortje, the team's fastest bowler, is a key player but has struggled in recent matches.Markram, Klaasen, and Marco Jansen arrived at the team's training base in Fort Lauderdale on Tuesday night after being involved in the IPL final in Chennai on Sunday. Markram believes the travel is a reality for many players these days and is focused on getting ready for Monday's match against Sri Lanka.

Sunrisers Hyderabad and Kolkata Knight Riders Clash in IPL 2024 OpenerKolkata, March 23: The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 season kicked off with a thrilling encounter between Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) and Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata.SRH captain Pat Cummins won the toss and elected to bowl first, hoping to exploit the early morning conditions. KKR captain Shreyas Iyer, on the other hand, was confident in his team's batting lineup.The KKR openers, Venkatesh Iyer and Phil Salt, got off to a solid start, putting on 45 runs for the first wicket. However, the introduction of Marco Jansen into the attack proved to be a game-changer. The South African left-arm pacer dismissed both openers in quick succession, leaving KKR reeling at 45/2.Shreyas Iyer and Nitish Rana then steadied the innings with a 50-run partnership. But just when KKR seemed to be gaining momentum, Cummins struck with a double-wicket over, removing both Iyer and Rana.Andre Russell and Sunil Narine provided some late fireworks, but KKR could only manage to post a total of 165/8 in their allotted 20 overs.In response, SRH got off to a shaky start, losing Mayank Agarwal and Rahul Tripathi cheaply. However, Aiden Markram and Heinrich Klaasen steadied the ship with a 60-run partnership.Markram, in particular, played a brilliant innings, scoring 75 runs off just 50 deliveries. He was well-supported by Klaasen, who contributed 45 runs.Despite a late surge from KKR, led by Mitchell Starc's 3/30, SRH managed to chase down the target with four balls to spare.Key Details:* SRH won the toss and elected to bowl first.* KKR posted a total of 165/8 in 20 overs.* SRH chased down the target with four balls to spare.* Aiden Markram was named Player of the Match for his brilliant 75-run knock.

Ravichandran Ashwin, India's off-spinner, has expressed surprise over SunRisers Hyderabad's (SRH) decision to appoint Pat Cummins as captain. SRH had previously sacked Aiden Markram, who led their sister franchise, SunRisers Eastern Cape (SEC), to consecutive SA20 league titles.Ashwin stated that he was shocked by the move, especially considering Markram's success with SEC. He suggested that SRH could have benefited from Markram's experience and leadership skills."SunRisers have hit two titles back to back at the SA20. They've done it with two extraordinary teams. I was quite shocked, actually. They have made Pat Cummins the captain. I was having a small hunch that they would go with Markram. Markram had an extraordinary season for his franchise in the SA20. The cross-pollination would have been amazing," Ashwin said.While acknowledging Cummins' credentials as a world-class player, Ashwin raised concerns about the potential for a "problem of plenty" in SRH's leadership department. He suggested that the franchise could struggle to accommodate the leadership aspirations of multiple star players."Pat Cummins is a no-brainer. But with Cummins as a captain, they will have a problem of plenty in the team with so many stars. Keeping Travis Head as backup, they would go for Markram, Pat Cummins, (Heinrich) Klaasen, and (Wanindu) Hasaranga. Because Hasaranga is a crucial facet for them. If they decide Hasaranga is not needed, in some venues they can play (Fazalhaq) Farooqi or Marco Jansen instead of him. This is what I thought because it makes sense," he added.Cummins, who has never captained a team in T20 cricket, expressed his excitement about leading SRH in IPL 2024. He emphasized the importance of an aggressive start to the season and praised the team's young talent."So, a bit of planning to go and then just wanna get off to a really good start. T20s are hard. Kolkata's a good team, but I think just wanna see a really aggressive, start to the season," Cummins said.SRH will begin their IPL 2024 campaign against Kolkata Knight Riders at the Eden Gardens.