ICC Men’s T20 World Cup
Ahmedabad, Feb 26: “It doesn’t feel easy,” South Africa captain Aiden Markram insisted on Thursday, even as his team brushed aside another heavyweight opponent in West Indies for a sixth consecutive win in the T20 World Cup and put one foot in the semifinals.
The Proteas’ latest triumph — a clinical nine-wicket win while chasing 177 against the West Indies — followed comprehensive victories over New Zealand (by seven wickets) and hosts India (by 76 runs), underlining their status as one of the most complete sides in the competition.Reflecting on the commanding margins against top-tier opposition, Markram said the external perception of comfort was far removed from the internal grind.
“They’re quality teams (New Zealand, India and West Indies) and to put in strong performances against sides like that definitely gives you confidence,” he said at the post-match press conference.“But it honestly doesn’t feel easy. Every game drains you. The intensity is seriously high and you know things can change very quickly in T20 cricket. You wake up the next morning and it can all be over in a couple of days.” Markram emphasised that the squad’s focus and preparation had been key to sustaining the run.“The scorelines might look convincing, but we know how much planning and execution goes into beating teams of that calibre. The boys have been fully locked in, every meeting, every training session. There’s a lot of pride in this group and a real hunger to achieve something special.” (PTI)
