It’s been 53 days since the dramatic T20 World Cup final, and the echoes of that defining moment still linger in the mind of Aiden Markram. On Tuesday, during a press conference in Guyana, Markram candidly shared his ongoing journey of coming to terms with that fateful day at Kensington Oval in Bridgetown, Barbados.
“I should give it as much time as it needs,” Markram conceded. “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.”
The final, held on June 29, was a historic event for South Africa’s men’s cricket team. They had never reached a senior World Cup final before and thus were unprepared for the sting of losing a decisive match. The encounter against India was a nail-biter, coming down to a seven-run margin that left the South Africans devastated. Throughout their 184 T20Is history, they had won and lost six matches by the same margin and another 21 by fewer runs. But this loss felt more poignant and raw for a nation longing for a major trophy.
“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, reflecting on his post-final hiatus. “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 team is back in the Caribbean for a series of three T20Is against West Indies in Tarouba, Trinidad, from Friday to Tuesday. While not all members of the World Cup final XI have returned, Markram, Reeza Hendricks, and Tristan Stubbs continue to represent the Proteas. Over the past 13 days, Markram and Stubbs also participated in a Test series against the West Indies, coming out victorious with a 1-0 win under Temba Bavuma’s captaincy. Bavuma, who leads the ODI side, played a key role in that triumph.
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As South Africa’s T20I captain, Markram has had to navigate the responsibilities of leadership while transitioning between different formats and roles within the team. “It’s not a hell of a big deal for me,” he stated, unfazed by the shifts in responsibility. “The decision-makers, especially from a white-ball point of view, remain consistent. That allows for continuity in the team.”
Despite the inevitable changes in squad composition, Markram stressed the importance of maintaining a consistent message. “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 Markram prepares for the upcoming series in Tarouba, he hopes for better conditions than what the T20 World Cup presented. On Tuesday, the ICC labelled the Tarouba pitch as “unsatisfactory” due to its inconsistent bounce, which had a dramatic impact during the World Cup. In the semifinal, South Africa bowled out Afghanistan for a mere 56 runs on this volatile surface, securing a nine-wicket victory. The ground saw teams batting first dismissed for scores between 40 and 95 runs in four out of five matches, with West Indies managing a more respectable 149/9 despite initially slumping to 30/5 against New Zealand.
Conditions were markedly better during a tour match against a West Indies Championship XI in Tarouba before the Test series. The South Africans saw better facilities, leading to higher scores with two centuries and six fifties recorded between the teams, achieving totals of 397 and 408/9. Markram himself found form, scoring 82 off 107 balls, including 56 runs in boundaries.
That performance must have been a much-needed confidence booster for Markram compared to the memories of June 29. Even if South Africa secures a 3-0 win in the upcoming series, the sting of the World Cup final loss remains, a scar that drives their desire for redemption. Part of moving on is the belief that the opportunity will arise again, and that happier days lie ahead—days when the team can lift a trophy and finally shed the burden of past disappointments.