South Africa’s captain Aiden Markram is all set to lead his side to the semi-finals of the T20 World Cup 2026 at the Eden Gardens, Kolkata. His side will be taking on New Zealand for the ticket to the final on March 4.
Ahead of the much-anticipated clash, he has refused to take the credit for his side’s success. South Africa have remained undefeated throughout the competition, a feat no other team has managed to achieve so far.
“I’m just fortunate to lead a really strong team. It’s a great mix of some young guys and the older ones with a lot of experience. You lean on them and they help guide you and lead you when you have a few doubts,” he was quoted as saying by The Times of India.
He further noted down that the captaincy is all about how one reads the game and take decisions under pressure, while acknowledging Quinton de Kock’s presence.
“I think it’s more about making really good decisions under pressure. Quinny (Quinton de Kock) reads conditions really well from behind the stumps and that makes a massive difference for us,” he continued.
The right-hander is having a stunning campaign with the bat. In seven matches, he has scored 268 runs at an average of over 53, leading his side from the front. He then opened up about what kind of things he has learnt while captaining the side.
“A little bit that I’ve learned from this World Cup and the more recent months is to make a proper effort to separate the two roles. If you do your job as a batter for the team, ultimately it will contribute, hopefully, in a winning cause,” he said.
When asked about whether his side will enter this clash against New Zealand or not, Markram took a cautious approach.
“I wish cricket was that easy,” he smiled. “It’s a completely fresh start and it is a semifinal. I don’t think it’s as straightforward as being able to repeat that again,” he concluded.
The two teams have faced each other in the group-stage, where the Proteas emerged victorious.
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