South Africa captain Aiden Markram is in no mood to take Canada lightly in their T20 World Cup opener on Monday (February 8, 2026), insisting that he’s just looking for a positive start to their campaign in Ahmedabad.

The two teams will face each other in their opening Group B match.

They may be considered one of the favourites, but Markram said the close matches in the last two days already indicated that no team can take any opposition lightly.

“You don’t want to jinx anything. We’ve already seen some close games, and it doesn’t look like there will be any straightforward or easy matches. But I have faith in our team. If we put together a really good game of cricket, we give ourselves a strong chance of a good result,” Markram said at the pre-match press conference on Sunday (February 8, 2026).

“That’s something you want to do in a competition like this; you want to start well and carry that momentum forward. So that’s where a lot of the focus has been for us as a group, and hopefully we can put together a really good performance.” Markram said the gap in terms of performance in the T20 format between top teams and associate nations has narrowed considerably, resulting in upsets and that’s why there is no room for being complacent.

“If you look at the games that have already happened and at previous World Cups, there have been upsets. The gap between Associate nations and the other countries has become much smaller. In this format, it just takes one or two players having a really good day for an upset to happen. The Associate teams have been playing really well. Even at the start of this World Cup, we’ve seen some close games that could have gone either way. I think that, on its own, is quite exciting to watch,” he said.

The Protea skipper said though Canada is a relatively unknown entity for them, they have done their homework.

“I think it can actually feel a bit tougher. We haven’t played them; I certainly haven’t played them in my career. You’re not 100% sure what to expect, and that creates a new challenge. When you play teams regularly, you have a good idea of their approach, their plans, the players, and their abilities. But we don’t want to put too much emphasis on that. We’d rather focus on our own skills, our plans, and executing them well. If we do that, we give ourselves a good chance,” Markram said.

“I did a bit of homework yesterday, so I’ve got a decent idea now. Obviously, coming into the World Cup, I didn’t know too much. But it’s important to do that homework and research on their players — their strengths, weaknesses, and all those sorts of things. So I’ve definitely got a much better understanding now.”

Earlier considered as perennial chokers in ICC events, Markram feels the World Test Championship title has somewhat got the monkey off their back.

“…But it does feel that way — the belief, the confidence, the monkey off the back — all those things play a role in the language and behaviour within the camp.”

“It definitely helps. But having said that, you don’t come here thinking it’s suddenly going to be easy. We still have to be at our best. The WTC trophy definitely gave us belief and confidence within the group,” he said.

Markram refused to divulge his playing eleven but said veteran David Miller looks in great touch.

“He (Miller) got through most of the SA20 and was in a really good space. Unfortunately, he picked up a small niggle, and that would frustrate anyone. But now he’s in a good space. He’s been training hard, doing a lot of work with the physios and trainers to make sure his body is right,” Markram added.

“It’s looking really good, and the way he’s hitting the ball, as you mentioned, is a big positive for us. So I’d say he’s in a good space now — confident, excited — and it’s great to have David Miller in that kind of mindset.”

“We’ll announce the team at the toss. You want to combine the things you’re good at with the knowledge you have about the opposition. We have a fairly good idea of who the seamers will be, and hopefully they can start performing consistently,” he said.

Published – February 09, 2026 02:45 am IST

South Africa’s Aiden Markram, centre, celebrates after taking the catch of India’s Nitish Kumar Reddy on the third day of the second cricket test match between India and South Africa in Guwahati, on November 22, 2025.
| Photo Credit: AP

South Africa’s Kagiso Rabada (C) celebrates with teammates after taking the wicket of Bangladesh’s Nayeem Hasan during the fourth day of the first Test cricket match between Bangladesh and South Africa at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Dhaka on October 24, 2024.
| Photo Credit: AFP

In-form pacer Kagiso Rabada took six wickets in the second inning as South Africa won the first test against Bangladesh by seven wickets on Thursday (October 24, 2024), wrapping up victory before lunch on the fourth day at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium.

South Africa reached their target as they scored 106 for three wickets in the second innings, with 41 coming from opener Tony de Zorzi and an unbeaten 30 runs from Tristan Stubbs seeing them home.

Rabada took two wickets early on the fourth day to finish with figures of 6-46, in a match in which he celebrated passing 300 test wickets, as Bangladesh were dismissed for 307 in their second innings.

The home side had fought their way back into the contest on the third day to take an 81-run lead as they were 283-7 overnight but with only three wickets in hand were always under threat as they came out to face the second new ball on Thursday.

South Africa’s pacemen quickly cleaned up the tail, denying middle order batsman Mehidy Hasan Miraz a test ton as he was the last wicket to fall, dismissed for 97, slicing Rabada to Wiaan Mulder at third slip.

It left South Africa a modest target to chase with plenty of time in hand and they took 22 overs to ensure the win.

Bangladesh’s Taijul Islam took 3-43 to add to his five wickets in the first innings

“It was a really good performance,” said winning captain Aiden Markram. “We put four days of good cricket together and the bowlers set the game up beautifully for us the first day.”

Bangladesh, who had won the toss and chose to bat, were steamrolled for 106 on the opening day, allowing South Africa to go on and build a 202-run first-innings lead.

“We had a great lead although credit to Bangladesh, who made it tough for us in the second innings,” Markram added.

The teams meet in the second test in Chittagong, starting on Tuesday.

South African captain Aiden Markram (left) studies the pitch during a practice session ahead of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup cricket, final match between India and South Africa, in Barbados on June 28, 2024.
| Photo Credit: K.R. Deepak

Not known for handling pressure well on the big stage, South Africa have pulled off close wins in this competition giving them a strong belief that victory is possible from any situation, captain Aiden Markram said ahead of the T20 World Cup final against India in Barbados.

India, a team full of superstars, will have to overcome the pressure of not winning an ICC title since 2013 while South Africa head into their maiden World Cup final having not been in that position ever before.

Ahead of the summit showdown on Saturday, Markram was expectedly reminded about the past when Proteas have crumbled under pressure.

ALSO READ: Revisiting South Africa’s painful past at ICC events

“Probably I just see it as a new game of cricket, to be honest. We all know India’s a great team. Us as a team, as South Africans, have been sort of trending in the right direction the last couple of years, but maybe not progressed in tournaments as far as we would have liked.

“So, an exciting occasion tomorrow against a good opposition in India, but a nice opportunity for us as the Proteas as well,” said Markram.

Both South Africa and India go into the final unbeaten with the former experiencing plenty of bumps along the way.

They barely managed to put it past Nepal and Bangladesh earlier in the competition. Even the low-scoring affair against co-hosts West Indies could have gone either way.

Markram said his players have got a lot of confidence out of those close wins and they won’t settle for a runners-up finish.

“There have been close moments in games that would have probably affected the result and we managed to win those moments.

“To have done them two, three, maybe four times throughout the competition so far has sort of given the team the belief that you can win from any position, which I think is quite important for a team to have that,” said Markram.

India might be overwhelming favourites for the title but South Africa too have a lot going for them.

They are keen to add a fresh chapter to the nation’s chequered history but the schedule has not given them time to think too much about the occasion.

“You play a game, you get on a plane, you fly, you check in at a new hotel and play your next game of cricket the next day. So, I don’t think there’s too much reflecting that happens.

“But it’s more the opportunity that we have of being in a final that sort of excites me quite a bit I think after the competition we will sit back and really appreciate what we’ve achieved so far as a team,” he said.

Markram asserted that irrespective of the result on Saturday, his team is “going in the right direction.”

“But yeah, we’d love to get to our first final and be able to win that first final. And hopefully in the years to come that can break the burden of what a lot of other people are saying about us as a team,” he said.

On the seven-hour delay they experienced in Trinidad due to the closure of runway in Barbados, Markram chose to look at the positives.

“Yeah, we’ve had a couple (in Florida as well). I suppose a lot of other teams have gone through similar things. And we joke about it as a team and say, like, we’re kind of used to it now.

“There’s no point sulking around and making it more miserable than what it might already seem to be. So, it was a slightly longer day yesterday (laughs).”

On the mindset of the team after the semi-final win over Afghanistan, Markram added: “…you say, ‘guys, we’ve still got one more step to go’. So, it’s not driven by coach or by captain. The whole unit sort of feels that and is driven by that.

“…sportsmen are highly competitive people and nobody would want to lose, and especially not lose in a final. So, I think there’s no sense that the guys are satisfied regardless of the result tomorrow. I think there’s still a massive hunger for us to go out and win tomorrow’s game.”

Beware! Supporting South Africa is not for the faint-hearted!

The Proteas, who have the unenvious tag of ‘chokers’ in world cricket, have made a happy habit of snatching victory from the jaws of defeat in the 20-over extravaganza in the Americas — an experience as gripping as watching a House of the Dragon episode with a cliffhanger finish.

Things could have gone horribly wrong for Aiden Markram’s men on multiple occasions. However, they weathered the storm and sailed into the semifinals unbeaten. Whether they go two steps further to win the whole thing remains to be seen. But the fact that South Africa has players it can depend upon to show up in crucial moments will instil confidence in the ranks.

Remember it all too well

South Africa’s tryst with nail-biting finishes in the 2024 T20 World Cup started against the Netherlands. After an easy win against Sri Lanka, at least compared to the other humdingers that were to follow, the Proteas faced their bogey team in multi-national tournaments. They used up six wickets and 113 deliveries while chasing down the Netherlands’ 103 — granted it was not a modest target on the dicey New York track. They were, at one stage, reeling at 12 for four but a calm and collected David Miller, ably supported by Tristan Stubbs’ efforts, guided them home.

“The game of cricket makes it a bit tricky. We are moving forward as a squad. Sometimes the victories are going to be convincing. To squeeze a win out from that (12 for four) situation is good for the team environment,” skipper Markram said after the game.

While it was a narrow four-wicket win against the Men in Orange, their next assignment saw the Proteas pull off a four-run victory over Bangladesh. After deciding to bat, their top-order once again failed to make a mark and put together 113 to defend. However, the bowlers were accurate (none went for more than 27) as the team clinched a win with some luck going its way.

As fate would have it

In the 17th over of Bangladesh’s chase, Mahmudullah was adjudged lbw by the umpire. The batter went for a review which proved that the ball was missing the stumps. Mahmudullah extended his stay at the crease but lost out on the four leg-byes he would have otherwise got for the ball going for a boundary after hitting his pads as the umpire’s original verdict had already deemed the delivery dead. According to the Playing Conditions, despite the umpire’s verdict being overturned, Bangladesh did not get those crucial four runs which ended up being the victory margin for South Africa.

Nonetheless, if there is one team that deserves the rub of the green going its way thanks to a cricket law, it is South Africa. Remember the 1992 World Cup semifinal against England? The heavens opened up when Kepler Wessels’ side needed 22 off 13 and the target was readjusted (according to the laws then) to 21 from one ball and South Africa had to bow out of its first World Cup unceremoniously.

Back to 2024, the Proteas’ next challenge was against a spirited Nepal side which did its best to hunt down the target of 116 and fell agonisingly short. From requiring just 18 runs from as many balls with seven wickets in hand, it was a safe bet to say that Nepal would get across the line. However, Tabraiz Shamsi, Anrich Nortje and Ottneil Baartman delivered what was asked of them and restricted Nepal to 114 for seven — a one-run victory for South Africa.

This was the closest win for the Proteas in this mega event which saw a final-ball drama break Nepal fans’ hearts. With two runs needed off the last delivery, Gulsan Jha ran for a bye and would have thought that he was safe after wicketkeeper Quinton de Kock’s throw hit his back and deflected. However, as luck would have it, the ball went directly to a vigilant Heinrich Klaasen who flicked the ball onto the stumps. Jha, who slowed down after the ball made contact with him, was late in getting to the crease and failed to take the game to a Super Over.

Coming in clutch

Following a streak of pulsating results, the Proteas would have hoped for an easy win against co-host USA in their first Super 8 fixture. However, Andries Gous — a South Africa-born cricketer — took the co-host close to chasing a target of 195 with his unbeaten 47-ball 80. Before Kagiso Rabada’s exceptional two-run penultimate over reeled things back, South Africa fans would have got flashbacks of the 2015 ODI World Cup semifinal knock by Grant Elliott — also a South Africa native — to take New Zealand into the summit clash. It wasn’t to be in Antigua and the Proteas prevailed by 18 runs.

A crackerjack

After five consecutive victories in the tournament, the wagon moved to St. Lucia for South Africa to face the defending champion England. And, surprise, surprise… this was also a crackerjack of a contest. The pendulum swung in the windy Gros Islet as both teams had the chance to win it easily.

Jos Buttler’s men were chasing South Africa’s 163 and were in trouble at 61 for four after 10.2 overs. Then, Liam Livingstone and Harry Brook cut it down to 46 off 24 to make it anybody’s game. The duo punished the next over, laden with full tosses from Baartman, and cut down the target to 25 off 18. The game was in England’s grasp, but Rabada, Marco Jansen and Nortje had other ideas and turned the contest on its head. Markram’s stupendous catch running backwards to dismiss a dangerous Brook off Nortje’s final over was crucial in the side’s seven-run victory.

Do-or-die clash

South Africa’s most important, and latest, victory came in a do-or-die Super 8 clash against the West Indies. The two-time champion tightened the screws on South Africa’s run chase, which at one stage was in cruise control with 46 runs needed off 55 balls with seven wickets in hand. However, Rovman Powell’s men — playing for a last-four spot themselves — made a match of it thanks to a disciplined bowling effort and brought the equation to nine off seven. Then, a marvellous drive through extra-cover from Rabada and a maximum down the ground by the 6’8’’ towering Jansen, who stood tall in the nervy chase with an unbeaten 14-ball 21, turned the tide and sealed South Africa’s semifinal berth.

“I’m sweating. Quite nervy at the end. That’s been the theme of our tournament — us finding a way to win as a team, no matter what the situation is. Our supporters would probably like bigger wins. But things like this keep us in check,” Shamsi said after the three-wicket victory.

Yes, the scenario could have been different for South Africa. Mahmudullah could have been given not out by the umpire, and Jha could have not hesitated and reached the crease to force a tie-breaker. But, take nothing away from the performances its players have put up and the belief that they have shown to win games of cricket so far. A semifinal clash against Rashid Khan’s Afghanistan awaits Markram’s men. Given their remarkable journey so far, the Proteas will fancy themselves to go all the way and break their World Cup drought.