AHMEDABAD: South Africa captain Aiden Markram believes his side’s recent success in Test cricket has laid a strong foundation for their T20 World Cup campaign, as the Proteas enter the global tournament with renewed confidence and a refreshed mindset.
South Africa, who finished runners-up in the 2024 edition of the T20 World Cup, will kick off their 2026 campaign against Canada on Monday at the Narendra Modi Stadium — the world’s largest cricket venue. The expanded 20-team tournament presents fresh challenges, but Markram insists his squad is mentally stronger than ever.
The Proteas’ confidence stems largely from their historic triumph in the World Test Championship final in June 2025, where they defeated Australia to claim their first major ICC title. That victory helped South Africa finally shed their long-standing “chokers” label and changed the narrative surrounding the team in major tournaments.
Pace spearhead Kagiso Rabada recently highlighted the shift in how South Africa is now perceived globally, and Markram echoed those sentiments, admitting that the psychological burden has significantly eased within the squad.
“I’m not very active on social media, unlike KG,” Markram said with a smile during a media interaction. “But you can definitely feel the difference within the group — the belief, the confidence, and that sense of relief after winning a big ICC title.”
He added that while the World Test Championship success has boosted morale, it does not guarantee an easy path in the T20 World Cup.
“The trophy gave us belief, no doubt, but we’re not coming here thinking things will be simple,” Markram said. “We still need to play our best cricket every single game.”
South Africa endured heartbreak in the 2024 T20 World Cup final, where they fell just seven runs short against India despite needing only 30 runs from the final five overs. That narrow defeat remains fresh in memory and continues to drive the squad.
Placed in Group D, the Proteas will face New Zealand, Afghanistan, United Arab Emirates, and Canada — a mix of established sides and emerging teams. Markram acknowledged that playing Associate nations can be particularly tricky in the shortest format.
“The gap between Associate teams and full-member nations has narrowed a lot,” he said. “In T20 cricket, all it takes is one or two players to have an exceptional day for an upset to happen.”
The opening matches of the tournament have already underlined that unpredictability. Pakistan narrowly escaped against the Netherlands, while defending champions India found themselves struggling at 77 for six before eventually overcoming the United States.
With lessons learned, belief restored, and confidence strengthened by Test success, South Africa enter the T20 World Cup determined to turn promise into silverware — and finally complete their redemption arc on the global stage.
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