T20 World Cup Final India vs South Africa: Massive Hunger For us to Win Says Aiden Markram

South Africa captain Aiden Markram admits his team is not feeling complacent about their performances in this T20 World Cup; he said there is a hunger to go out (in Barbados) against India and win their maiden ICC World Cup.

Markram also talked about the dressing room environment following the semis win, saying everyone was happy; he added the message was clear that the goal isn’t achieved yet, with the decider remaining.

“We were obviously a happy bunch the other night after qualifying for the final, but it’s amazing…” Markram said ahead of the T20 World Cup Final.

“I’m sure all teams do it, but straight after that game in the changing room, you still reflect, and 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.

“As general, 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,” the South African captain noted.

India vs South Africa: ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 final Barbados

India and South Africa have made it to the T20 World Cup Final, each side undefeated through the group stage, the Super Eights and the semifinals.

Both teams arrived in Barbados on Thursday night ahead of Saturday’s final, such is the hectic – even shambolic – nature of the congested fixtures. South Africa waited all day at the airport for a delayed charter flight from Trinidad. India flew after their semifinal win over England in Guyana, eventually landing around midnight.

But both teams have been on far longer journeys, and faced greater obstacles than logistics, to reach this point at Kensington Oval.

India have met and overpowered two nemeses. They banished the sour memories of last year’s defeat by Australia in the World Cup Final at Ahmedabad. They blew away England, the defending champions who blasted them out of the 2022 T20 World Cup in the semifinal in Adelaide, with a semifinal reversal in Georgetown.

Nine players from the 2023 one-day squad are in Barbados – and yet, this looks like a wholly different India team. They have no discernible weakness and, while their victories have not all been easy, they have never looked like losing.

With Inputs From Agencies