It doesn’t matter; South Africa is set to take the T20 World Cup trophy home. Be it England or India in the Final, the Proteas are the hot favorites for lifting the ICC silverware, thanks to Aiden Markram.
South Africa entered the final of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 by defeating Afghanistan by 9 wickets in Tarouba, Trinidad. The Proteas made it to their maiden ICC Tournament Final in 32 years. Their skipper Aiden Markram has played a major role in rewriting history books.
Aiden Markram’s 100 Percent Record Makes Headline
Aiden Markram’s 100 Percent Record Makes Headline
Aiden Markram is yet to lose a match as Proteas skipper in ICC events. That’s right. Be it as an U19 skipper, or leading South Africa in ODI and T20 World Cup – he has not dropped even one game. That might be impressive to say the least.
| SKIPPER MARKRAM AT THE HELM AT THE WORLD CUPS | ||
| TOURNAMENT | PLAYED | WON |
| U-19 World Cup 2014 | 6 | 6 |
| ODI World Cup 2023 | 2 | 2 |
| T20 World Cup 2024 | 8 | 8 |
Trophies Won as Captain
Aiden Markram’s success as a captain extends beyond international cricket. He has led his teams to victory in several major tournaments, showcasing his leadership skills:
1. ICC U19 World Cup 2014: Markram captained the South African U19 team to victory.
2. SA20 2023: He led the Sunrisers Eastern Cape to the title in the inaugural season.
3. SA20 2024: He successfully defended the title with the Sunrisers Eastern Cape in the second edition.
Unstoppable Markram in 2024 T20 World Cup
Under Markram’s captaincy, the South African team has shown remarkable performance in the ongoing ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024. Markram’s leadership has been crucial in South Africa’s unbeaten run in the tournament.
The Proteas have won all 8 of their matches, from the group stages to the Super 8s and then the semifinal encounter against Afghanistan.
South Africa’s Unbeaten Run at the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024
| S.NO | STAGE | OPPONENT | RESULT |
| 1 | Group Stage | Sri Lanka | Won by 6 wickets |
| 2 | Group Stage | Netherlands | Won by 4 wickets |
| 3 | Group Stage | Bangladesh | Won by 4 runs |
| 4 | Group Stage | Nepal | Won by 1 run |
| 5 | Super Eight | USA | Won by 18 runs |
| 6 | Super Eight | England | Won by 7 runs |
| 7 | Super Eight | West Indies | Won by 3 wickets |
| 8 | Semi-Final | Afghanistan | Won by 9 wickets |
South Africa has displayed formidable performance in the ongoing ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024, remaining unbeaten across all stages leading up to the semifinals. In the group stage, they secured victories against Sri Lanka, Netherlands, Bangladesh, and Nepal, showcasing their ability to win under varying conditions and against diverse oppositions. With close victories against Nepal and Bangladesh the Proteas showed their capacity to handle pressure situations effectively.
Moving into the Super Eight stage, South Africa continued their dominant streak by defeating USA, England, and West Indies. South Africa’s entrance into the finals of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 shows Markram’s ability to lead a team that has historically struggled to progress past the knockout stages of World Cups.
The final is scheduled for June 29, 2024, where South Africa, under Markram’s captaincy, will aim to clinch their maiden ICC Men’s T20 World Cup title.
South Africa’s unbeaten record and Markram’s impressive leadership will now be put to the test in the all-important Final on June 29th. Can Markram extend his unbeaten record, in arguably the most important match of his entire career?
The Sportz Planet Desk,
Atharva Shetye
