T20 World Cup – Aiden Markram Interview

India claimed their second T20 World Cup, 17 years after winning their first, defeating South Africa by seven runs in the final in Barbados.

South Africa suffered a seven-run loss to India in the final of the T20 World Cup on Saturday. India 176-7 (Virat Kohli 76, Anrich Nortje 2-26); South Africa 169-8 (Heinrich Klaasen 52; Hardik Pandya 3-20).

Question: So close, but exactly where did you, is it the death over bowling or the splendid catching by the Indians, where did you miss out?

Aiden Markram: It’s not a specific moment, it’s an overall game of 40 overs and if you look at a couple of moments potentially where you could have done better but all in all still proud of the performance we put together today in a final and to get close like that is something I’m just proud of.

Question: Can you put in a few words of how tough that was to take?

Aiden Markram: I don’t think I can say them yet to be honest but yeah, it’s tough. This group’s a great bunch of people. In my opinion, they deserve really good things to go their way. I had a really good feeling about this competition before we came here and as the competition went on, that feeling got stronger and stronger. So, pretty tough to deal with now, but it’s a sport at the end of the day. Someone’s going to win, someone’s going to lose. And we’ll try to use it to fire us up for future events.

Question: I know it’s very tough to digest this – but how proud are you because your overall campaign was so good, your team is working so well, this bunch of boys are so promising. Is this going to take the South African team way forward?

Aiden Markram: I really hope so, yeah. Like I mentioned, a great group of guys that’s been together for quite a long time now. Get to our first final, like I mentioned a few days ago, it’s something we can be proud of. Still, in our eyes, not good enough. You’re not satisfied with making a final, but still, I think it’ll take a bit of time for us to reflect back on all the good things that we’ve done, but obviously for the time being, it’s just hurts a lot.

Question: How do you feel that the pitch was behaving after you guys were chasing 176? [inaudible]

Aiden Markram: Yeah, I thought the wicket played really well, to be honest. I think it stayed consistent throughout the game I didn’t see it changing a lot of our batters came off after getting out saying felt like a really good wicket so Hats off to the groundsman. Yeah, for preparing it a wicket that he did. It’s a great game of cricket to have a final like that on a good wicket, something in it for the bowlers, something in it for the batters. Just a good spectacle overall.

Question: I think you said on the presentation things happened quite quickly; Can I just ask you to elaborate a bit on that? Is there anything you guys could have done to take this thing out of the game?

Aiden Markram: It’s tough. They bowled really well in the back end and had very simple plans and executed it really well. From a run a ball it can go to 10 an over in the space of one over. So, your game plan as a batter changes. You’re potentially thinking you’re keeping the ball on the ground, running hard until the job’s done and the bowler bowls a good over. Next thing you’d be searching for boundaries and everything changes quickly like that.

Question: Just in terms of what you’re saying to the team at this point, have you spoken to them yet? Is there anything you’re planning to say to them, or is it just let their emotions out?

Aiden Markram: Yeah, I think one thing that will definitely say is how proud we are. Not just of today, the game itself, but the competition as a whole, the build-up to get here. So, in hindsight, the things will still feel really good about this competition. But like I mentioned, just for the time being, it stings a bit, but it’s good for it to sting. It gives you that little bit of fire in the belly for next time that you’re here.

Question: The individual performance that will get lost at the end when there’s a big result like that, but a few words about [inaudible] I think that was pretty sensational stuff for a moment.

Aiden Markram: Yeah, it was special. We’ve seen him do it many, many times around the world and to deliver it in a stage like this is a really special effort. So, it’s going to be tough for him, that’s what I say when I mean we reflect back, there’s going to be lots of things to be happy about and I’m sure that knock could have made him really tough to put in a performance like that.

Question: Aidan, just on the emotions out there in the middle, the rise in tears, how painful is that emotion or the feeling when to share a moment like that with your team?

Aiden Markram: It’s just gut wrenching – that’s really what it is. Each player has been on a different individual journey to get to this first final. Ultimately you become really tight as a group and you want good things to happen to this group because you know they’re great people and when you get really close like that, especially the nature of how the game went, obviously adds to the emotions and it’s one of those things but yeah, we can channel it moving forward but I think next couple of days you let it be, you let yourself feel the way you want to feel and then really start reflecting in a positive manner.

Question: Do you think the match officials could have spent a bit longer looking at that catch at the start of the last over?

Aiden Markram: I didn’t even see it to be honest. I couldn’t watch. Yeah, it’s a quick replay. They’re obviously pretty convinced that it was out and that’s why it was a quick replay.

Question: What is the turning point of the final? What makes the turn – the catch or the out of the class? Do you think South Africa breaks the barrier to reach the final? This is the one step ahead they will do next future for champions.

Aiden Markram: Hopefully it’s one step closer. It’s tournament cricket, it’s tough cricket, it’s not easy to win trophies and you’ve got to take your hats off to a team like India for lifting the trophy. A lot of hard work goes into it. But yeah, we’d like to think we’re one step closer and hopefully moving forward we can get that first win and it can be a snowball effect of quite a few to come.

Question: What was the turning point?

Aiden Markram: I’ve tried to answer it already, it’s tough to pick one.

South Africa looked in early trouble when Reeza Hendricks (four off five) was cleaned up by Bumrah in the second over, and skipper Markram (four off five) edged Arshdeep behind in the next over.

Tristan Stubbs (31 off 21) and De Kock rebuilt (39 off 31) well to keep the fight going — taking South Africa to 70 in the ninth over.

But Stubbs walked across his crease and was cleaned up by Patel. Klaasen wreaked havoc as soon as he stepped in, getting off the mark with a big six over the offside off Hardik Pandya.

He went on a rampage after that, striking two fours and five sixes. It included a 24-run assault on Patel in the 15th over to put South Africa in the driving seat.

South Africa’s innings capitulated after that over however, as India held their nerve, conceding only 22 runs in the final five overs.