South Africa Dominates West Indies in T20 World Cup Match
Markram Praises Team's Performance After Victory
Ahmedabad (Gujarat) [India] - After leading his team to a victory against the West Indies, South African captain Aiden Markram expressed his satisfaction with both the batting and bowling during the powerplay, emphasizing that every stage of this tournament presents its own challenges.
With this latest win, South Africa has maintained its unbeaten streak in the T20 World Cup, marking their sixth consecutive victory with a nine-wicket win over the West Indies in Ahmedabad on Thursday. This triumph not only brings them closer to the semifinals but also benefits India in the tournament.
During the post-match press conference, Markram remarked, “I felt we bowled quite well. A team like the West Indies can be aggressive. The pitch was a bit tacky and slow, and with the early movement, we aimed to keep the ball up. The steep bounce was a result of the pitch conditions. Luckily, we won the toss.”
He noted that as the match progressed, the Ahmedabad pitch became increasingly favorable for batting, admitting that their strategy of bowling yorkers and varying the pace did not yield the desired results.
Markram also praised Ryan Rickelton for his significant contribution, stating that he has truly made the number three batting position his own.
In his role at number three, Rickelton has played 11 innings, accumulating 357 runs at an average of 44.62 and a strike rate of 164.51, including two half-centuries.
“Every step in this tournament is tough. We hope to advance to the semifinals. It would be fantastic, but we are focused on the present, and the boys are adapting well to the conditions here in Ahmedabad,” he concluded.
In the match itself, South Africa won the toss and chose to field first. Lungi Ngidi (3 wickets for 30 runs in four overs) and Kagiso Rabada (2 wickets for 22 runs in four overs) delivered a strong performance, reducing the West Indies to 83 for 7. However, a spirited partnership of 89 runs between Romario Shepherd (52 not out off 37 balls, including three fours and four sixes) and Jason Holder (49 off 31 balls, with three fours and three sixes) helped the West Indies reach a total of 176 for 8 in their 20 overs, despite Marco Jansen's disappointing spell of 50 runs in four overs.
In response, Markram (82 not out off 46 balls, with seven fours and four sixes) and Quinton de Kock (47 off 24 balls, with four boundaries and four sixes) formed a rapid 95-run partnership. Rickelton (45 not out off 28 balls, with four boundaries and two sixes) then joined Markram to secure a nine-wicket victory for South Africa.