Markram aims to build on South Africa’s run to T20 WC final as the quest for a global title continues Premium

South Africa T20I captain Aiden Markram discusses ODI series loss, batting form, promising newcomers, and team readiness for busy schedule.

Before the T20I series against Ireland in Abu Dhabi, South Africa T20I captain Aiden Markram spoke to journalists about the ODI series loss to Afghanistan, his batting form, promising newcomers and guiding them, the special group that made it to the 2024 T20 World Cup final, and his team being ready for the busy schedule ahead.

On the 2-1 loss to Afghanistan in the ODI series in Sharjah...

Obviously, the result wasn’t what we wanted. But you can always take something from the series. And I think we will as a team be able to take a lot from it and be able to grow a lot as a slightly younger group.

If you can tell in your own words how good a cricket team Afghanistan has become... How good were they in this particular series?

I think it’s pretty evident that they are a really good team. They just made (it to) a semifinal at a (T20) World Cup as well. So, none of it is by fluke. They’re an incredibly good cricket team. And when you put them in conditions, their home conditions as well, they become even tougher. So, yes, you take your hats off to them.

They played some proper cricket, and we as a team have now been exposed to that and understand what’s required to win games of cricket in that part of the world against an opposition like that. So, those are the learnings that each of us can take.

Individually, as players as well, each guy will understand, through being involved in that series, how their game potentially needs to change or what their plans are or need to be in those conditions to be nice and clear. So, yes, lots of good learnings.