‘World-class' Afghanistan made it to semis for a reason: Aiden Markram after SA's win

Great. Good evening everyone and welcome to this evening's post match press conference featuring T20 captain Eda Markham. We'll open the floor. Who would like to take the first question? Do we have the mic up in front there? Pretty Aiden, the most obvious question. World Cup final, What does it feel like? I mean, doesn't even sunk in yet. Probably hasn't, no. The bits that we're realising now, it's obviously a really nice feeling, really good feeling. This team's been together for a long time now as a as a white ball group, both formats and it's nice for us to get to a final. We feel and we believe that we can compete with the best in the world and we can win trophies and it's nice for us to now have that opportunity and make it into a final. But was that even like does that even get discussed in the dressing room? The fact that you never made a final leading into a semi final? I mean, you were part of a semi final just five months ago in in a different format. So do you even talk about it or is it now that you got there you will talk about it? No, we haven't spoken about it to be honest. I think it's a personal and individual motivation that you get to get to a final to earn the opportunity to hopefully lift the trophy. But we all understand this game and how it works and things can go for you, things can go against you and you, you take that in your stride. So you reflect back to five months ago, we couldn't get over the line in, in the, in that semi final. And you, you look at tonight, a few things went our way. We managed to win the game and we find ourselves in a final. So it's a really good feeling. It's a pleasing feeling. But more importantly, the, the group of guys there in the change room, I'm, I'm extremely happy for all of them. I know it was a long time ago we spoke about reflection, but you have been a captain in the World Cup final, what, 10 years ago when you're a boy, I guess. So do you reflect back on that at all? Like you've been there? Actually, if I'm very honest with, you know, it's a really long time ago and my memory is not great, but you, you get a little bit of confidence and a little bit of belief knowing you have done it on a certain level before. I don't think it's the exact same here at men's cricket, but there are similar pressures that you have to deal with with being in a final and we would have experienced that in 2014. So the bit of confidence, the bit of belief that we can't take from that we'll try use to to the best that we can. And just the way you did it today as well, you know, obviously you got an opportunity to bowl first on that pitch. What did you make of the pitch and just to with the fact that you were able to be that ruthless that you could just blow them away for 56? Yeah, the bowlers, not just today, but the whole competition, they've been really good, probably saving the batters on on certain occasions, but conditions I would say have been in their favour. But if even if you say that, they still have to to get get it done right. And, and that's exactly what they've been doing for US game in and game out. So you, you have to give a lot of appreciation towards them. They've been really good for us. Tonight was an exceptional performance by the whole bowling unit and the pitch was obviously quite challenging as we saw. And like I said you, you do still have to get the ball in the right area. So you you give credit to your bowlers. They've used the conditions really well and managed to get us into into a winning position. Do you know you have never lost a World Cup match as a captain Under 19, ODI, T20 Sadhguru Never lost a World Cup match as a captain? Sadhguru. I have no idea about stuff like Etna. Do you just coming back to the pitch, Of course pitches don't win or lose you the matches you have to still go out and do the job. But just as a if, if I were to ask you as a neutral observer, would you say this is a good pitch for AT20 game and that too a big semi final of a World Cup? Sadhguru Yeah. I mean you T20 cricket as a whole, you want entertainment. The wickets that we've had throughout the competition have been pretty challenging. Tonight's wicket was pretty challenging. Once again, it's hard to to tell that a wicket is not good because it can't just always be a baddest game. But I think if we reflect back on this wicket, we'll probably be be pretty happy that we're not playing here again. But having said that, still taking the positives we can. Wickets are tough, wickets are the same for both teams on the night. So finding a way to win is probably the most important thing. Sadhguru you've been to New York, St. Vincent, now this and then you'll go to Barbados, good old Barbados, which has a normal 16170 pitch. So how do you like forget put, put this all behind and get ready for a more normal T20 game? Sadhguru I think because we've been doing it for for most of our careers, you jump from venue to venue where conditions are quite different. So it's again, just adapting to, to whatever's in front of you and playing the the pitch and the game that's in front of you. So we won't look too much into it. We'll try find ways to always take wickets for the ball and from a batting point of view try get to a school that's defendable. So yeah, not looking too much into conditions. Like I've mentioned, both teams have to play on the same wicket and ultimately if you can develop some plans and come up with some plans on the day that can give you a good chance to win, then hopefully it works out that way. Are there any further questions? Hi. Hi skipper, Afghanistan were once known as minnows in world cricket. I know it didn't go as planned for them tonight, but what do you think of their performance in this tournament, making Italy semi finals and only play their first T20 match in 2010 and to come so far? Yeah, it's brilliant. It's really, really cool to see. I don't think we have to name the players that they have that are the best in the world at the moment. So they're really on a a good track, going in the right direction. And when you get to conditions like these, I don't think it's a surprise that Afghanistan makes the semi finals. I think they're a really good team. They find ways to win and they've got some really good players. So they've been doing the right things now for a long time. Making a semi final for them is obviously massive. I think they've inspired a lot of people back at home. I've seen some pictures that inspire us as well to try and make that difference to to people back at home. So yeah, they've been going really well and, and I'm sure it's it's not going to be the the end of them making knockout cricket. Sadhguru Eden, you've, you've got two world class winners, 4 fast bowlers, an opener who's in form, middle order, which has got the pedigree. Do you feel you've got all bases covered for whatever conditions or whatever team is thrown at you for the final? Sadhguru, You definitely believe. So yes, like I mentioned, cricket's a funny game where things go right for you, things don't go right for you and you, you take it in your stride. But we're happy with the squad that we have here. It's not just the 11 playing, it's a massive squad effort and you pick your 11 based on conditions. That's all it's about. So once we get to Barbados and we, we, we see what we, we think we're going to come come across in terms of the pitch, then we'll we'll try pick our best 11. But we're really happy as a white ball group where we are and, and the the options that we do have when it comes to selection. Do you believe in science? Science that all the close matches that could have gone either way are now falling your way? Do you believe in science that this could be, this is your year? I don't really look too much into things like that, to be honest. It's a, it's a game of cricket, like I've mentioned, and someone has to win and someone has to lose. Ultimately, that's, that's the name of the game. So you, you take it in your stride. You do get belief though, from winning close games and potentially winning games that you thought you weren't going to win it. It does a lot for your change room and the vibe in the change room. So we'll take a little bit of confidence from that and see see if we can put it to any use in the final. Last question, last two please, Aiden, just on Marco Jansen, he was pretty outstanding today. And whoever you face in the final, you're going to have two right handers opening the batting, whether it's India or England. So how potent is that for you to have him with the new ball against those guys? Yeah, Once again, it's it's Marco's best skill against the opening batter's best skill on the day. Whatever happens happens. But I'm really chuffed for him. He's he's still a really young guy and I think people forget that he's done incredibly well. He, he's got a lot of heart and passion and loves playing for his country and tends to do pretty well in, in in big games for us and steps up sort of in the moment needs him to. So I'm really happy for him that he had a good day out today and I'm sure it'll give him a bit of confidence going into, into the final. Sorry, just finally, I mean, Dale Staines just tweeted about how emotional about it it is for him. And I mean, you spoke about not having it, not having sunk in, but there are so many South African cricketers, a few of them here who couldn't make it to a World Cup final. So I mean, do you sense their emotion? Like, have you had a chat with Dale by any chance over here or just what it must mean for them? I haven't, to be honest, unfortunately. But it, it speaks a lot about them as people, I feel. I mean, they, they were guys that are legends of the game, legends of South African cricket. In my eyes. It doesn't matter that if they made a final or not because they inspired all of us to, to play cricket for South Africa. And because of them, we're trying to represent those people that have played before us really well. So we're glad we've made them proud to an extent. I still feel we've got one more step left. But for the time being, I'm I'm glad that guys like Dale Stone is, is incredibly happy. We will take one final question at the back there. Thank you and congratulations. The way that you guys played tonight, was there any sense of relief, you know 48 hours ago when you realised that Australia wasn't going to come through to the semi finals? Or are you confident? You you're confident you're gonna bring the game you did today no matter what? Yeah, You can't look too much into opposition. I don't feel. I mean, Afghanistan in conditions in the Caribbean are as good as anyone in the world, so it didn't really matter too much for us to be honest with you. Australia is a world class team as we've seen, but Afghanistan have made a semi final for reason 'cause they're also world class. So those things, there's no point really wasting your emotional energy on it. Whoever you come across you, you try give your best on the day and then sort of see where it gets you. Great. That concludes the press conference. Thank you very much everyone. Thank you, Aiden. Thank you.