Photo Credit: SA20 League
Sunrisers Eastern Cape captain Aiden Markram believes the large number of Proteas with Indian Premier League experience is proving to be a huge benefit to the national team at the ongoing ICC World Cup in India.
Markram is an IPL regular where he also captains the Sunrisers Hyderabad, which also includes fellow Proteas Heinrich Klaasen and Marco Jansen.
The duo were particularly devastating in the last match against England at Mumbai’s Wankhede Stadium, with Klaasen smashing a brilliant 109 off 67 balls and Jansen 75 not out.
Equally, Quinton de Kock has spent the last decade playing in the IPL for various teams, including Mumbai Indians and Delhi Capitals. He is currently playing for Lucknow Super Giants. This experience came to fruition with De Kock striking World Cup centuries at both Delhi’s Arun Jaitley Stadium and in Lucknow.
Batters, Rassie van der Dussen and David Miller have also been regulars at the IPL, with Miller having played in the last two finals for Gujarat Titans.
Equally, fast bowlers Kagiso Rabada and Lungi Ngidi are experienced IPL campaigners.
“I think we’re fortunate with quite a few guys now being involved in the IPL. So, having experienced the various grounds, because each venue is quite different in terms of conditions, and having that experience now within the camp certainly helps us as a team,” Markram said ahead of the crunch World Cup tie against Bangladesh today.
“The experience of IPL players, I suppose, has really helped, and the experience from guys in the management, the coaching staff that have played a lot of cricket here in India or coached in IPLs has also helped us a lot.”
Markram led the Proteas in the record 229-run victory over England in the last game in Mumbai after regular ODI captain and Sunrisers teammate Temba Bavuma was ruled out through illness.
Bavuma is in “better spirits” but has yet to be cleared for today’s game, but the Proteas will give the skipper every opportunity to prove his fitness.
“It was very unfortunate for Temba, and we obviously missed him, his leadership on the field,” Markram said.
“He’s definitely improving. There hasn’t been a final call just yet on him. I think they’re going to make the call tomorrow (Tuesday). But he is at least in better spirits.”
