There's a lot of hurt: Maharaj on South Africa grinding out wins in T20 World Cup

23/06/2024

Undefeated South Africa are set to play their final Super 8 match of the T20 World Cup 2024. South Africa are currently at the top of Group 2 in the Super 8 stage and they would hope to continue their winning run in the tournament. While it is true that SA have not been beaten in a single game in this tournament, it is also true that they have barely looked convincing.

All of South Africa's games have been close calls, something that they would surely like to change going into their final Super 8 game against West Indies. While SA have been put under the pump, they have found heroes in crunch moments who have changed the course of the game. Against England in their last game was captain Aiden Markram, who took a superb catch in the final over of the match to stop Harry Brook from scoring the winning runs.

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Spinner Keshav Maharaj was asked about South Africa's grinding victories ahead of the West Indies game. The spinner said that SA have been able to grind out wins because they have been mentally very strong. Maharaj said that the semi-final loss in the ODI World Cup 2023 against Australia still hurt and that is pushing them to do better and stay in the fight till the very last moment in every game.

"I think this team sort of believes that we can be really great as a unit. Obviously, with the last World Cup, bowing out in the semi-finals, it's both the character and there's a lot of hurt. So, we just take it one game at a time and focus on trying to get the results to go away and not looking at the negatives, just trying to highlight the positives as much as possible," Maharaj said in the pre-match press conference.

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Maharaj lauded South Africa for winning the small moments, which they were not able to do in the previous World Cups, that the team had played in.

"I think if you look at previous World Cups, the small moments we haven't really won. And it's good to see that I think all the games have come really close and we found a way, so it's building the character within the team. And I think it prepares us for obviously certain opportunities that we could get and crossing over the line in those small moments are things that we've never done before. So, it's good to see us getting into that," Maharaj concluded.

South Africa have to win their last Super 8 match against West Indies. A win will ensure their qualification in the semi-finals, but if they lose the match, and England win their match vs USA, NRR will come into play.

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