GAME DAY T20 WORLD CUP | Proteas ready to bring the intensity to Canada in Ahmedabad

Proteas T20 captain Aiden Markram believes his team’s success in the World Test Championship Final last year has been a huge boost heading into the T20 World Cup.

The Proteas have long had an undistinguished record at major ICC tournaments but having ended a 27-run without a major trophy, Markram feels his team are much lighter now. 

“It does feel that way - the belief, the confidence, the monkey off the back - all those things play a role in the language and behaviour within the camp,” Markram said of the Proteas’ Group C opener against Canada in Ahmedabad on Monday.

“It definitely helps. But having said that, you don’t come here thinking it’s suddenly going to be easy. We still have to be at our best. The WTC trophy definitely gave us belief and confidence within the group.”

The Proteas are fancied to open their campaign with a victory over Canada, but Markram does not want to focus on the opposition too much and has pushed his team to maintain their own high standards.

“It will be up to us to create the intensity if there isn’t the kind of atmosphere we’re used to,” he said.

“It’s something you just have to deal with and work around. It’s definitely no excuse not to be on top of your game.

“If we put together a really good game of cricket, we give ourselves a strong chance of a good result.

“That’s something you want to do in a competition like this—you want to start well and carry that momentum forward. So that’s where a lot of the focus has been for us as a group, and hopefully we can put together a really good performance.”

SQUADS FOR AHMEDABAD 

Proteas: Aiden Markram (capt), Corbin Bosch, Dewald Brevis, Quinton de Kock, Marco Jansen, George Linde, Keshav Maharaj, Kwena Maphaka, David Miller, Lungi Ngidi, Anrich Nortje, Kagiso Rabada, Ryan Rickelton, Jason Smith, Tristan Stubbs.

Canada: Dilpreet Bajwa (C), Ajayveer Hundal, Ansh Patel, Dilon Heyliger, Harsh Thaker, Jaskarandeep Buttar, Kaleem Sana, Kanwarpal Tathgur, Navneet Dhaliwal, Nicholas Kirton, Ravinderpal Singh, Saad Bin Zafar, Shivam Sharma, Shreyas Movva, Yuvraj Samra.

Broadcast Details 

The match is set to get underway at 3:30 pm SAST and will be broadcast live on SuperSport.

STAY INFORMED

Follow all the action from the ICC T20 World Cup clash between the Proteas and Canada right here. Return to www.iol.co.za/sport after the final ball for a comprehensive match report, expert analysis, and post-match reactions from both camps.