South Africa secured a spot in their first men’s World Cup final with a dominant nine-wicket victory over Afghanistan. They chased down the 57-run target in under nine overs.
Aiden Markram’s Post-Match Comments
“It feels good. It’s not just the captain that gets you to the final; it’s a massive squad effort, including plenty of guys behind the scenes. We were fortunate to lose the toss, as we would have chosen to bat too. Our bowling was brilliant, hitting the right areas and keeping it simple. The bowlers have been incredible. Batting was challenging; no batter will lie and say it was easy. We had some luck and formed a partnership. We’ve had a few close games, which gave some people back home more grey hairs. Glad today was more comforting.”
On the final:“It is one more step for us, an opportunity we’ve never had, and nothing to be scared of. This win means a lot. We have world-class players, but it takes a whole squad to deliver such a performance.”
Rashid Khan’s Comments After the Loss
“It was tough for us as a team. We could have done better, but the conditions didn’t allow it. That’s T20 cricket; you need to be ready for all conditions. They bowled really well. We found success in this tournament because our seamers bowled well, giving us good starts. Mujeeb’s injury was unfortunate, but our seamers and Nabi bowled brilliantly with the new ball, making our job easier as spinners. We enjoyed this tournament.”
“We accept the semi-final loss to a top side like South Africa. It’s just the beginning for us. We have the confidence and belief to beat any side. We need to keep our processes. This tournament has been a great learning experience. We know we have the skills; it’s about managing tough and pressure situations. We need to work on the middle order to take the innings deep. We’ve achieved good results so far, but we’ll come back and work harder, especially in the batting department.”
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