Aiden Markram Surpasses JP Duminy as South Africa's Fourth-Highest T20I Run-Scorer
Markram's Milestone in T20I Cricket
Ahmedabad (Gujarat) [India], February 26: Aiden Markram, the captain of the South African cricket team, has now become the fourth-highest run-scorer for the Proteas in T20 internationals, surpassing JP Duminy.
This achievement came during a Super Eight T20 World Cup match against the West Indies at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, where Markram scored an impressive 82 runs off 46 balls, hitting seven fours and four sixes, and maintaining a strike rate exceeding 178.
With this performance, Markram has accumulated 1,944 runs in 75 T20I matches, averaging 32.40 with a strike rate of 148.73, including 14 half-centuries and a top score of 86 not out. In contrast, Duminy concluded his T20I career with 1,934 runs from 81 matches, averaging 38.68 and a strike rate of 126.24, along with 11 fifties and a highest score of 96.
Quinton de Kock remains South Africa's all-time leading run-scorer in T20Is, boasting 3,085 runs from 108 matches, with an average of 31.47 and a strike rate of 142.42, which includes two centuries and 19 fifties, with a best score of 115.
In the current T20 World Cup, Markram has scored 264 runs across six innings, averaging 66.00 and striking at 178.37, with three fifties and a top score of 86. This year, he has amassed 367 runs in nine innings, averaging 61.16 and striking at 173.93, including four fifties and a best score of 86 not out.
In the match itself, South Africa won the toss and chose to field first. Lungi Ngidi was exceptional, taking 3 wickets for 30 runs in four overs, while Kagiso Rabada contributed with 2 wickets for 22 runs in four overs, reducing the West Indies to 83 for 7. However, a spirited partnership of 89 runs between Romario Shepherd (52 not out off 37 balls) and Jason Holder (49 off 31 balls) helped the Windies reach 176 for 8 in their 20 overs, despite Marco Jansen's costly spell of 50 runs in four overs.
During the chase, Markram (82 not out off 46 balls) and Quinton de Kock (47 off 24 balls) formed a rapid 95-run partnership, and later, Rickelton (45 not out off 28 balls) joined Markram to secure a nine-wicket victory for South Africa, finishing with nine wickets in hand.