We’ve never felt down and out, insists Markram

As the World Cup completes its fourth weekend of action, cricket fans around the globe are enthusiastically working out permutations and trying to predict the trajectory of their respective teams into the semi-finals. And that even includes South Africans, despite the agony of their defeat to New Zealand in their last match.

That narrow loss was their fourth in six matches but, remarkably, South Africa have still not been eliminated from contention for the semi-finals, thanks to England’s shock loss to Sri Lanka.

Although the permutations are complex and would require an almost miraculous series of results for the Proteas to finish fourth, their hopes boil down to England losing their last three games – against India, New Zealand and Australia.

Which is entirely possible, if unlikely.

It should go without saying that South Africa also have to win their last three matches – against Pakistan at Lord’s on Sunday, and then Sri Lanka and Australia; but then Bangladesh have to lose two of their last three games (Afghanistan, India and Pakistan), Sri Lanka must lose at least one of their other fixtures, against the West Indies or India; and the West Indies can only win two more matches themselves.

The Caribbean side play New Zealand, India, Sri Lanka and Afghanistan.

“We’ve definitely never been feeling down and out and we’ve tried to put a lot of focus on going forward. Obviously it’s very important that we win our three remaining games and then there’s an outside chance of qualifying, which would be incredible. But the only way we can do that is by winning all three matches, so there’s a lot of focus just on us and putting a performance together at the World Cup.

“Just from a confidence perspective it’s important for us to do that before we go home and we’re trying not to look too far into the future. It was a great game of cricket between Sri Lanka and England and a nice result for us, and it proves that if a side clicks on the day, then any team can beat any other side at this World Cup. So if we put together our best game of cricket against Pakistan, we should be in a position to win,” Proteas batsman Aiden Markram said at Lord’s on Saturday.

With another four-year cycle almost certainly ending badly for the Proteas, there has already been speculation about the road forward and which personnel should be involved when the 2023 World Cup in India rolls around.

Markram will be many people’s favourite to be captain of that side, but he was adamant on Saturday that he first of all needs to be sure of his place in the team.

“I am aware of what potentially might happen in the future with players retiring, but I really haven’t put a lot of focus on that at all. I am just trying to keep my place in the team at the moment and trying to score as many runs as I can. The rest is out of my control. For me and the other youngsters, it’s just about making sure we are ready in a couple of years to make this an even better team and environment.

“It’s been a tough tournament because of the results, but a really good experience, I am privileged to be playing cricket on the biggest stage and to be representing my country. I have thoroughly enjoyed the pressures of competing at the World Cup, even with all the things not going our way. But we’re not about to roll over and die, we’re going to compete as hard as we can still,” Markram said.

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