It has been 53 days since the dramatic T20 World Cup final, and Aiden Markram is gradually coming to terms with the heartbreaking loss. Speaking at a press conference in Guyana on Tuesday, Markram reflected on the aftermath of the June 29 showdown at Kensington Oval in Bridgetown, Barbados, where South Africa’s men’s team experienced both unprecedented achievement and crushing defeat. “I should give it as much time as it needs,” Markram said. “It was a tough one to swallow at the time. But 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 South Africa’s first-ever appearance in a senior World Cup final, and the devastating seven-run loss to India. The match was a nerve-wracking encounter, and the South African team was heartbroken by the narrow defeat. This was the seventh time in their history that they had participated in a T20I decided by a margin of seven runs, but the stakes had never been higher.
For Markram, stepping away from cricket right after the final was essential. “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,” he revealed. “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.”
The overshadowing disappointment of June 29 still lingers, but cricket moves on, and so do the players. South Africa is back in the Caribbean for a series of three T20Is against West Indies, scheduled to start on Friday in Tarouba, Trinidad. However, not all members of the World Cup squad are present. Only Aiden Markram, Reeza Hendricks, and Tristan Stubbs played in the final. Recently, Markram and Stubbs contributed to South Africa’s 1-0 victory in a Test series against the West Indies under the leadership of Temba Bavuma, who also captains the ODI side.
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As the T20I captain, Markram discussed the challenges of switching between different roles in the team. “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. 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.”
The South Africans are hopeful that their fortunes in Tarouba this time will be more favorable than during their World Cup experience. The ICC recently labelled the Tarouba pitch as “unsatisfactory” due to its chronically inconsistent bounce, which witnessed South Africa bowl Afghanistan out for just 56 runs en route to the nine-wicket win in the semifinal. Teams batting first ranged between 40 to 95 runs in four out of five matches played there during the tournament. In the other game, West Indies managed to post a recovery from 30/5 to 149/9 against New Zealand.
Despite the poor pitch during the World Cup, conditions seemed to have improved in a subsequent tour match at the same venue. In preparation for the Test series, South Africa faced a West Indies Championship XI in Tarouba, where two centuries and six 50s were scored, yielding total scores of 397 and 408/9. Markram had a commendable personal performance, scoring 82 off 107 balls, with 56 of his runs coming from boundaries.
While the memories of June 29 might still be painful, the upcoming matches present an opportunity for new beginnings and the possibility to learn and grow. For Markram and his team, believing that this won’t be their only final and that happier days ahead is part of moving on. Even a convincing 3-0 victory in the coming days would not completely erase the sting of the past, but it would certainly be a step towards future success.