Ken Borland

South Africa’s Test and ODI captain Temba Bavuma is full of praise for the captaincy of his colleague Aiden Markram, which has seen the Proteas go into the semi-finals at the T20 World Cup in the West Indies.

The South Africans are the only side to have won all seven of their matches on their way to the last four, but their progress has been as thrilling as one would expect from a side whose World Cup history is infamously littered with dramatic and emotional exits. The Proteas will play Afghanistan at Tarouba in southern Trinidad in their semi-final on Wednesday night, while India, who are also unbeaten but had one match washed out, take on England at Providence in Guyana on Thursday.

Only two of South Africa’s seven wins have been in any way comfortable, and Bavuma said Markram’s captaincy has been a key factor in building a unit that has the belief to win in pressure situations over and over.

“Aiden may not have scored the number of runs he would have liked, but his leadership has been phenomenal,” Bavuma told SportsBoom.com. “His captaincy style really brings the team together and has given them a lot of belief. It’s collaborative leadership and you can see the team has that belief and they are really playing for each other.

“I think tactically Aiden has also been very good, using all that spin against the West Indies was really crucial. He’s getting the best out of the players and you can see how much it means for them. KG Rabada has his big celebrations back every time he takes a wicket; it’s not that he hasn’t been celebrating, but now you can really see how much it means to him every time he gets a wicket,” Bavuma said.

South Africa pulled off a nervy, rain-affected chase against the West Indies to reach the semifinals, winning with seven wickets down and five balls to spare at North Sound earlier this week, and Bavuma said the sense of calm that Markram brings to the field was evident.

It is a trait Proteas coach Rob Walter also highlighted when SportsBoom.com asked him to appraise Markram’s captaincy thus far.

“Aiden is a very understated leader, but the team listens when he speaks, he is massively respected in the changeroom,” Walter said. “Strategically I think he has been very strong – defending low scores so often means he has to be good tactically to win because he does not have a lot of margin for error.

“Aiden has a real competitive edge and he is 100% engaged in everything he does, but he is also very calm and level-headed, which creates the right environment for the players to produce their best performances. He’s running the show and making the right decisions – I don’t think KG has ever bowled his first over in the 18^th over before, but that sums up the flexibility. It was also great to see Aiden bowl all four of his overs against the West Indies, he backed himself.

“He has been able to sum up very quickly how to best utilise the resources he has in the conditions we’ve been playing in and that feel is a real skill of the game. We’ve had to play the tricky conditions in front of us and Aiden is always trying to take the game on. It’s created some seriously good games of cricket,” Walter said.

Apart from a gorgeous 46 off 32 balls against the USA, Markram has struggled to make much of an impact with the bat, but he did take a brilliant running catch over his shoulder in the seven-run win over England to dismiss the flying Harry Brook in the final over.

“I’m grateful it stuck! Your mind races as a captain and you find yourself drifting in the field – but I was happy to hold on to it. It certainly made a difference,” Markram said afterwards.

Allowing things to drift has certainly not been the captaincy style of Markram, however; the 29-year-old has had his hand firmly on the tiller as he stands poised to steer the Proteas through uncharted waters, South Africa having never played in a World Cup final before.

THE CHAOS

It all worked out fine in the end, but for 15 crazy minutes before lunch as South Africa lost four wickets for three runs, it seemed like the Proteas were headed for one of their most infamous narrow defeats just when a place in the World Test Championship final was in their grasp.

Having seemingly been in control of the first Test against Pakistan for most of the previous three days, South Africa had a moderate target of 148 to win. They had crashed to 19 for three on the third evening, but a wonderful partnership between Aiden Markram and Temba Bavuma in the first hour of Sunday’s play had them well on course for victory.

Even when Markram was dismissed by a shooter from Mohammad Abbas for a determined 37, captain Bavuma was in such control that the situation, with 86 runs to get, seemed fine.

Bavuma and David Bedingham (14) added another 34 for the fifth wicket and South Africa approached lunch on 96 for four. But then the skipper needed treatment on his troublesome elbow, the pain perhaps encouraging him to try finish off the match quickly.

He tried going down the pitch to the nagging seam bowling of the admirable Abbas a couple of times, and then on his third foray, he tried to hit the tireless paceman back over his head but seemingly inside-edged the ball to wicketkeeper Mohammad Rizwan.

Umpire Alex Wharf gave him out almost as briskly as Bavuma walked, but then the television replays, and specifically ultra-edge, showed that there was no bat involved, but in fact the ball had hit Bavuma’s back pocket. It’s the second time in Boxing Day Tests at SuperSport Park that Bavuma has walked when he should have reviewed, having missed out on a potential century against Sri Lanka at Centurion in 2020.

Bavuma’s 40 was a great knock though, however unfortunately it ended. Not only did he lead from the front in testing circumstances for his team, but he showed just how technically strong he is, and his judgement was superb. Abbas took six for 54 in 19.3 overs and inflicted as probing an examination of technique as one can find.

All hell broke loose after Bavuma’s dismissal.

Kyle Verreynne’s own technical frailties saw him chop on off Naseem Shah in the next over, and Abbas then had Bedingham and Corbin Bosch caught behind off successive deliveries in his next over, both batsmen out to mediocre strokes well outside the off-stump.

The situation had gone from Game On to Pakistan being rampant and strong favourites to win with the Proteas reeling on 99 for eight, still 49 runs away from victory.

THE HEROES

After stumps on the third day and before play started on the fourth morning, Marco Jansen and Kagiso Rabada had both spoken about how disciplined but positive batting would see South Africa home. They were both confident the Proteas would reach their target.

In the thrilling finale’, it was Rabada and Jansen who had to secure victory. They first of all steadied the ship, taking South Africa to 116 for eight at lunch. They then knocked off the remaining 32 runs required with an ease which made one wonder what all the fuss was about.

Rabada has always had some fine strokes in his arsenal, but normally doesn’t stick around long enough to have a massive influence on the game with the bat. But inspired by coach Shukri Conrad’s lunchtime chat about fully backing whatever decision they made in terms of how to play, Rabada played an innings that will be remembered for many, many years. The left-hander stroked 31 not out off just 26 balls, attacking as if the deteriorating pitch was a flat road, and collecting five fours.

In the penultimate over, he launched Aamer Jamal back over his head for four and then eased him through the covers with all the grace and skill of Brian Lara. That left four runs to win, and Jansen sliced Abbas away through backward point to seal the nailbiting victory.

Jansen finished on 16 not out, his calm, more measured approach dovetailing brilliantly with Rabada. It was also his highest score in his seven Test innings this year, but a return to batting form was always on the cards for an all-rounder whose mental strength is one of his greatest assets.

WHAT THEY SAID

Captain Temba Bavuma said he could not summon all the words to accurately describe his emotions. He was visibly emotional in the post-match interviews for television, and was still moved when he addressed the general media.

“It’s a bit surreal and I’m not sure I’m able to put all my emotions into words. You should see the changeroom now, with all the families in there, it shows why we do what we do. We do it for the coaches and our families.

“To see KG bat like that … he was probably not at his best with the ball, but he saw an opportunity to do something with the bat for the team. I just feel joy for him because we know his talent with the bat. You never know which KG is going to come out and bat: The more correct one or the one that batted today. But we give him freedom and I couldn’t care how he got the runs.

“I just heard now that I didn’t hit the ball I got out to. I was absorbed in the moment and thinking about the shot I played. But it’s not the first time so people shouldn’t be surprised. I’ve been battling with my elbow and maybe the painkillers wore off? But I won’t use that as an excuse.

“I was still in the toilet sulking when KG joined Marco and I only came out when there were 15 runs to get. KG sat next to me at the lunch break, but I didn’t know what to say to him. But the confidence and belief was there in the team. I then heard Kyle Verreynne’s positive shouting and decided to show my head … I was taken aback by the emotion I felt at the end.”

Coach Shukri Conrad said he was blown away by the character of his team.

“Myself, Marco and KG share a vice [smoking] and when we were in our little corner in the back during the lunch break, I just told them that whatever decision they take about how they are going to go about their business, if we get close then I don’t want them to start fiddling about. They must keep doing what they set out to do, go balls to the wall.

“There were so many emotions. When we arrived this morning I thought we needed a big partnership between our two senior batsmen [Markram & Bavuma]. At morning drinks I thought we were doing okay, but then Aiden got out and we lost all those wickets on 99.

“So I thought we were pretty much gone, but then Marco and KG were able to build a partnership. At lunch we needed 32 runs and I thought ‘okay, that’s just eight fours’. The mind plays all these tricks on you in those situations.

“But they showed unbelievable composure, Marco brought the intensity and KG gave us visions of Brian Charles [Lara]. You can’t script that finish. Today was massive because I want a side that does not know when they are beaten.

“The biggest thing is they are a unit, they play for each other and leave their egos at the door. They will try find a way whatever the obstacle, rather than delve too deep into what they did wrong. And there’s a little bit of luck involved too.”

Kagiso Rabada has always been a top-class striker of the ball, but he readily admitted this was his finest hour with the bat in Test cricket.

“It’s without a doubt my best Test innings and one I will remember for the rest of my life. It’s all just a blur. All I was looking at was how many runs were needed, who was bowling and what were they trying to do?

“I said to Marco that I was going to look to be positive and he just said ‘wicked’ straight away. He had his own game-plan, playing one ball at a time on its merits. I was bit more unorthodox. But I wanted to keep to my processes and stay positive. There are always two voices in your head, one saying you can’t do it and the other one overpowering that.

“What happened today is something we want to keep in our DNA, we scrapped our way through, we just found a way to win. A lot of times I feel, when looking at the Proteas’ history in these vital matches, that we have tried to be perfect. But you don’t have to be, it’s all about finding a way to win.”

Pakistan ended the second day of the first Test against South Africa three wickets down in their second innings and still two runs behind, a poor position that does not reflect the pressure they put the Proteas under at SuperSport Park on Friday.

Babar Azam (16*) and Saud Shakeel (8*) were at the crease when bad light stopped play at 5pm with Pakistan on 88 for three. The visitors were no doubt quite happy to retire to the safety of their changeroom as it had been a disappointing previous hour for them as they failed to capitalise on an opening stand of 49 between Saim Ayub (27) and Shan Masood (28).

South Africa were most relieved to have gained a first-innings lead of 90, thanks to dream-debutant Corbin Bosch and the help of the tail, because they bowled poorly for the first 10 overs of Pakistan’s second innings.

Kagiso Rabada eventually broke the opening stand with a tremendous delivery: angled in from around the wicket to the left-handed Saim, it then seamed and bounced past his outside edge and hit the top of off-stump.

Marco Jansen was off-colour in the first innings, but he then produced an excellent spell of two for 17 in four overs late in the day. Shan was smartly taken in the slips by Tristan Stubbs, who had a rough time in the cordon on the first day, and Kamran Ghulam fell for four in similar fashion.

But Ghulam, Pakistan’s top-scorer in the first innings with 54, looked the victim of bad luck as Ryan Rickelton did superbly to scoop up an edge diving forward in the gully. TV replays suggested the ball had bounced just before he got his fingers around it, but third umpire Kumar Dharmasena gave him out.

That the Proteas had a lead as significant as 90 runs was thanks to Bosch, who scored a tenacious 81 not out off 93 deliveries, with 15 fours. He came to the crease after some poor batting by South Africa had seen them slide from 178 for four to 191 for seven, with Naseem Shah taking three wickets.

He joined Aiden Markram at the crease, with the opening batsman casting aside some near misses recently as he stroked a brilliant 89 off 144 balls. It was a defiant innings as he stuck around for four-and-a-half hours on a sporty pitch, but it was also filled with some gorgeous strokeplay as he collected 15 fours.

But when Markram finally fell, caught behind gloving a hook at Khurram Shehzad, the Proteas were 213 for eight, leading by just two runs.

But Bosch, playing positively but sensibly, took control as he continued his outstanding first-class form with the bat. He added 41 for the ninth wicket with Kagiso Rabada (13) and a delightful 47 for the last wicket with Dane Paterson (12), taking his first-class average this season to 96!

Bosch is the first player to take four wickets in an innings and score a half-century on his Test debut for South Africa, although Queenstown-born Tony Greig scored 62 and 57 and took four for 53 on debut for England, against Australia at Old Trafford in 1972. Eleven other debutants have achieved the feat in all Test cricket.

“Corbin’s innings made a huge difference. At one stage it looked like we would only have a lead of 15 to 20 runs. But now Pakistan are effectively none for three and we’ve managed to get a bit ahead in the game, even though we didn’t land the ball as we wanted this afternoon,” Markram said after the close of play.

“Corbin is having a special debut, it looks easy this Test cricket thing for him! It was a hugely valuable knock, probably worth more than a hundred. He’s really talented and he’s grafted really hard to get here. He still has a lot more to offer the Proteas.”

Markram’s impressive innings comes as a relief to himself and his many fans; since his century against India on an even more treacherous pitch at Newlands in January, he had made just one half-century in 10 innings midway through the second Test against Sri Lanka at St George’s Park at the start of this month. But through all that period, he had looked so good at the crease, almost imperious.

He made 55 in the second innings in Gqeberha and backed it up with even more on Friday.

“It was really frustrating because I felt I was moving well and seeing the ball well, but I was finding interesting ways to get out. It would have been different if I was scratching around and felt out of touch. But it still plays on you because you want to contribute to the team winning. Hopefully this can turn things around now,” Markram said after his 13^th Test half-century.

“Today there was an ebb and flow to my innings. At times I got into a rhythm when I was moving well, but at other times it feels like you’re fighting with yourself. I was just trying to leave well but also balance that with the desire to score. There were certain lengths that if the bowler hit them then you’re just trying to get through it somehow. But then you need to have the intensity to score around those lengths.

“You don’t want to make it too complicated, but you get good value for your shots on the Highveld, so I like to be positive up here. If the bowlers don’t land the ball in the right areas then the pitch is nice to bat on, but if they zone in on the right spots then it becomes tough to bat. You need to spend time out there, get a feel for it, but the ball keeps nibbling around,” Markram said.

Heinrich Klaasen will be playing in his third T20 World Cup but, given how complete a batsman he has become in the format, it is astonishing to think that he has only played four matches for the Proteas in the two previous editions of the showpiece event.

In the 2021 T20 World Cup in the United Arab Emirates, Klaasen only played in the opening two matches, scoring a run-a-ball 13 against Australia but did not bat against the West Indies. He then made way for Quinton de Kock or Reeza Hendricks, depending on how you looked at the shuffled batting line-up.

The following year, in Australia, he played in South Africa’s last two games, both lost, as the replacement for the injured David Miller, scoring 15 and 21.

The Proteas will depend far more heavily on Klaasen in this year’s World Cup, which got underway in the early hours of this morning, with South Africa opening their campaign against Sri Lanka in New York on Monday evening (SA time). That’s because the 32-year-old now smashes the cricket ball with so much power and consistency that he is undoubtedly considered to be one of the best T20 batsmen in the world.

Which is why the Sunrisers Hyderabad bought him for nearly R12 million for the Indian Premier League in 2023 and he has certainly repaid them. Klaasen averaged 49.78 and scored at a blistering strike-rate of 177.08 last year, and last week he helped his team into the 2024 final by scoring 479 runs at 39.92 and a strike-rate of 171.07.

This year’s figures included what he called a mid-season slump in which he scored ‘only’ 42 runs in three innings.

Now at the height of his powers, Klaasen finds ways of dealing with the immense pressure of expectation from the fanatical Indian fans and the team owners paying millions for his services, which should stand him and his fellow IPL stars in good stead during the more nervewracking moments of the World Cup. More often than not, Klaasen’s route to success is by not changing anything – he says staying true to himself and his game-plan is the key.

“I was a little disappointed because I was quite average in the middle of the IPL, but I was still pleased with my figures after such a bad run and hopefully I can carry that into the World Cup,” Klaasen told Rapport from Fort Lauderdale this week.

“My success is based on not moving away from what I do and during that dip, I moved away from my game-plan. I was trying to chase a strike-rate of more than 200 because the pitches were good for batting in the IPL and the execution of the batsmen was on another level. My strike-rate had dropped to 180 and I started to look at my numbers rather than just play.

“I was trying to hit more sixes to try and get back to 200. But I had a nice, hard chat with myself and also spoke with AB de Villiers, and stopped looking at my numbers. I got back to what I normally do and my form came right back immediately. The problem was my focus was wrong.

“But in the IPL you are measured by the number of sixes you hit and your strike-rate, no-one looks at your average. And the impact sub rule meant everyone was playing with a lot more freedom, so there’s a lot of pressure on you because strike-rate is your bread-and-butter. And then you have a couple of interviews where the media highlight your stats and then your first six balls don’t go according to plan and it plays in your head. You don’t follow your process. You just have to be mentally strong enough to recognise it and not fall into the trap,” Klaasen said.

Speaking of mental strength, it is an area of the Proteas’ game that is always under the spotlight at World Cups, but Klaasen, a phlegmatic character at the best of times, believes the number of players in the squad who have experienced and performed under the heaving pressure of the IPL should ensure there is no choking or puking due to nervousness.

“A lot of the guys have played in the IPL, where there is a lot of pressure and expectation. So we can tap into that, stay nice and calm and just focus on our execution. I firmly believe that if we execute well, then there’s no team that can beat us. And the majority of our IPL players are in good form too.

“In our last three World Cups [including the 2023 50-over event in India], we had only one bad one in Australia. In the UAE, we lost one out of five matches but missed out on nett run-rate, and in last year’s ODI World Cup in India we played some unbelievable cricket and reached the semi-finals.

“So we are playing good world cup cricket. The squad has a maturity about it and we are gelling nicely. We just have to play the big moments well,” Klaasen said.

But before Proteas fans get into a froth about the knockout stages, South Africa still have to clean up some awkward opposition in their opening group.

“Our first few matches are going to be our most important,” Klaasen said. “We are in a tricky group – Sri Lanka are very dangerous, the Netherlands have beaten us twice before and Bangladesh can beat any team on their day.

“So it’s important we get off to a very good start, that will relax us and then we can keep building on our confidence and focus on what we do best and our intensity,” Klaasen said.

Now they just need the rain forecast for Monday morning in New York to stay away …