It’s been 53 days since the fateful T20 World Cup final, and Aiden Markram, speaking from a press conference in Guyana, is still coming to terms with the gut-wrenching loss. “I should give it as much time as it needs,” he mentioned, visibly moved by the lingering emotions. “It was a tough one to swallow at the time. Definitely since then till now, it’s got a bit better to handle; to deal with and to process and put to bed.”
Markram was referring to the dramatic events of June 29 at Kensington Oval in Bridgetown, Barbados. On that day, South Africa’s men’s cricket team experienced an unprecedented journey – making it to the senior World Cup final for the first time, only to face the crushing reality of losing to India by a mere seven runs in a closely contested match.
The South African team had previously experienced both victories and losses by similar margins in their 184 T20Is, with six wins and losses by a seven-run margin and 21 by fewer runs. They had even tied one game, but none of those experiences could compare to the heartbreak of losing a World Cup final.
“Luckily I was able to take some time to get away from the game, get away from cricket conversations that would spark the discussion once again,” Markram said, offering a glimpse into his recovery process. “It was nice to get away from that and to reset. Each individual processes it pretty much to themselves. Probably the most important thing is making sure you’re at peace with how it all ended. So that you can move on and move forward.”
Now, the South African squad is back in the Caribbean to face West Indies in a three-match T20I series in Tarouba, Trinidad. The series begins on Friday and continues until Tuesday. However, only a few members of the World Cup final XI, including Markram, Reeza Hendricks, and Tristan Stubbs, have made the journey. Markram and Stubbs recently played in a Test series against the Windies, which South Africa won 1-0 under the captaincy of Temba Bavuma, who also leads the ODI side.
Markram, the captain of South Africa’s T20I team, appeared unfazed by the switching roles between being a rank-and-file player and the leader.
. “It’s not a hell of a big deal for me. The decision-makers, especially from a white-ball point of view, remain consistent. That allows for continuity in the team,” he remarked, emphasizing the importance of consistent leadership within the squad.
“Faces will change and squads will change, but it’s important that we keep driving a consistent message to the guys and making sure that they feel backed as players. And that whatever they bring to the table is good enough for us as a team. So, it’s not too complicated. You take on whatever you get given and you try to make the absolute best of it and see where it gets you.”
As the series in Tarouba approaches, Markram will be hoping for better conditions than those experienced during the T20 World Cup. The ICC recently criticized the Tarouba pitch, labeling it “unsatisfactory” due to its inconsistent bounce that played a significant role in South Africa dismissing Afghanistan for just 56 runs in their semifinal clash. Throughout the tournament, teams batting first at Tarouba were bowled out for scores ranging between 40 to 95 in four of the five matches held there. In one instance, West Indies managed to recover from 30/5 against New Zealand to post a total of 149/9.
In contrast, the conditions were far more favorable when the South Africans engaged in a tour match against a West Indies Championship XI in Tarouba prior to the Tests. The game saw impressive performances, with two centuries and six half-centuries (three of which were above 70 runs), leading to competitive totals of 397 and 408/9. Markram himself contributed significantly, scoring 82 off 107 balls and hitting 56 of his runs in boundaries.
Undoubtedly, that would have been a much happier day for Markram compared to June 29. However, even a clean sweep in the upcoming T20I series against West Indies won’t completely erase the sting of that World Cup final defeat. As Markram suggested, part of moving on lies in the belief that this won’t be the end of the journey – there will be more finals and, hopefully, more celebrations in the future.