Aiden Markram on South Africa's 1-run wc win over Nepal

We're joined by South African captain Aiden Magram. Aiden, very, very tense finish, thrilling finish. 115 midway. What were the thoughts? And also tell us your thoughts about the pitch. Yeah, we went overly chuffed at the halfway stage. Pretty much as a whole tonight. I thought we were probably nowhere near our best and just lacked a bit of intensity and and conviction in how we want to play in in our game plans and things like that. But like I mentioned out on the field, you have to give a lot of credit to the Nepal team. They put us under a lot of pressure. They showed the the quality that they are and, and have in their change room and made life really difficult for us. So we'll take lots of learnings from a night like this, as I'm I'm sure they would and, and they'll, they'll, they'll also take a lot of confidence from from really having us on the ropes. Eight of the final over and two then of the last two balls. What were the thoughts going in your mind? I mean, we, we've all watched this game enough. We we know funny things can happen. Ultimately, you, you commit to a ball that you want to bowl with, with your bowler and and you, you try executed as best as you could. I thought Bartman executed his last. He bounces really well to keep us in the game. But a funny ending to how it all sort of finished. But yeah, sometimes you you just become very grateful to to get random victories like that. Thoughts on Nepal? They have a very passionate fan base, as you might have seen even today. They were really loud in their numbers. You think they really have the potential to go further in their cricketing baby pursuits? Sadhguru. Absolutely. We've seen it now over the last year or two, specifically, we're at the same hotel as them. They're a great bunch of guys, very friendly, very respectful. And I think the way that they've sort of approached their their game and, and the cricket that they're playing results in them getting a fantastic fan base so that the players have deserved it. And then to to add on to that, it's fantastic to to see the fans buying into it as well. So I don't know too much about Nepal cricket, but looking at it from sort of an outside point of view, I would say it's in a really great place and really exciting times ahead for them. Eden, it's Devinder from Nepal TV. Just a thought on, you've got a fantastic bowling attack, but Tabri took four wickets for you. And were you relying heavily on your paces or you were mixing up with the spinners to do the job for you because Tabriz took four wickets for you? Is the performance of the quickies up to your expectations? Yeah, I think they bowled well. I think once again we we didn't give them the the total they might have liked to to defend. So you you do have to be really appreciative that they've kept us in the game and managed to get it down to the last over. Our our fast bowling unit has been bowling really well this competition. And you you want to back that and and give them the freedom and and let them sort of feel that they can win your games on on any, on any wicket really. So I thought they bowled bowled well tonight. Shamsi was excellent. It's fantastic to have him back in the team to get an opportunity to get some time in the middle and to to bowl the way that. So from a bowling point of view, not not too many concerns, but a lot of learning can take place in the other two facets. I feel good night, Mr. Markham Robertson and Research Light newspaper still on tonight, but just a different topic. Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, their first game on the lights ever. You have played around the world. Can you just tell us your thoughts on the quality of the lighting and what you think of the facility? Yeah, I've got nothing bad to say about it. Everything was really good. I thought both schools were under par with the bats. I don't think the wicket reflects the sort of the scores that were were scored on that pitch and and the lights seemed really good. So All in all, I would say a massive tick in tick in the box for for the stadium and the facility. Sadhguru, what is the estradity in last over? Sorry, Sadhguru. What was South African estradity in last over to to keep really simple? We thought if if we were still hitting the hard length, the the odd one would shoot low and and we could we could keep the stumps in play. I didn't want to go us to go too full. So so that if we missed, it became a a easy hit. So sticking to that hard length and and using using the short ball as we did to to our advantage and just getting the timing right with with bowling the short one as well. So pretty straight forward. I don't think it was necessarily a death plan, it was it was your simple middle overs plan that we felt that will work best on. On that pitch. Captain, it was Maharaj in the last game that won the match for you and it was some say today but you only have a place for one spinner considering your pace attack. So now the game is on West Indies wicket, is it a selection headache to have? Are you happy with that or how tough is it to select the team? Yeah, for sure. Moving forward, if, if conditions are going to be like that, we'd, we'd love to pick the both of them. So obviously I've explained the reasons behind the the switch for the two of them to, to give Shama some game time. But if wickets are going to be playing like that, we we're back the both of them to be in R11 and to, to make a massive impact for us. Aiden, last question, thoughts on Super Eights South Africa once again, again doing really well and this game perhaps can really lift the team in a way as well because you've had a close win, which we have always heard bring teams together. So thoughts on Super Eights and a shot at the trophy. What is the dream? It is the dream 100%. You, you take it game by game and and you compete as as hard and as best as you can and you ultimately see where it gets you. But I'm looking forward to to that phase now of the of the competition. Really grateful that we are in the Super Eights and hoping that that we can put a a more complete game of cricket together now that we we move forward to the business end of the competition. All the very best for the business end then. Thank you. Thank you very much. Thank you.