Proteas unbeaten as inspirational Markram sets tone for title charge

As was the case at the 2024 edition of the T20 World Cup, the Proteas are into the semifinals without tasting defeat. On Thursday, 26 February, they cast aside the West Indies with a comfortable nine-wicket win in Ahmedabad.

India’s 72-run victory over Zimbabwe later on the same day sealed the semifinal deal for the Proteas.

Markram the leader

In the win against the Windies, Markram once again led from the front as he notched up an unbeaten 82. It was the captain’s third score of 50 or more at the tournament, which is being co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka. To date, no other batter has managed more. Zimbabwe’s Brian Bennett and Sri Lankan Kusal Mendis are level with Markram on three half-centuries apiece.

Despite being a thoroughbred batter, Markram has never been afraid to pick up the ball and tap into his inner spinner when required. However, his sole wicket in the current T20 World Cup came when he did the most unexpected thing.

In a high-stakes match against reigning T20 world champions India to open their Super Eights campaign, Markram surprisingly took the new ball and opened the bowling for the Proteas. Some may have been scratching their heads at the decision, but he was vindicated just four balls into the contest.

Dangerous Indian opener Ishan Kishan tried to smack a boundary off the Proteas skipper’s bowling, only to mistime the shot and sky it. The ball landed in the safe hands of Ryan Rickelton.

That sequence of events set the tone for the rest of the match, which SA eventually won by 76 runs to send a message to the other teams in the tournament that they are extremely hungry to end their World Cup drought.

Markram’s evolution

It was one of just the tactical calls that have demonstrated just how Markram has evolved as a player and leader over the years. In addition to leading from the front with the bat as one of the opening batters (alongside Quinton de Kock), Markram’s bowling changes and field placements have ensured that SA’s unbeaten record at this World Cup remains intact, even under the most precarious scenarios.

Markram, who captained SA to overall victory at U-19 Cricket World Cup in 2014, has previously spoken about what that particular experience taught him and how it helped shape him into the leader he has become.

“[Captaining the senior team] is definitely different to U-19 cricket. I suppose there’s bits and pieces you can take from [the U-19 captaincy journey],” said Markram. “At that young age I was very hard on myself. You have to learn to take things in your stride, try to take outcomes from things and focus on things that give you the best chance of succeeding on the day, whether it works out or not.

“Experience also helps. You rub shoulders with great leaders and great players in the team, so they help you put things into perspective quite nicely,” he said.

From potential to results

More than anything, the roller-coaster cycle of sports – the winning and losing – can be crucial in shaping great leaders. Domestically, Markram captained Sunrisers Eastern Cape to two successive tournament victories in the SA20 before switching to the Durban’s Super Giants for the 2025/26 season.

Internationally, Markram was the captain as the South Africans reached their maiden World Cup final in 2024.

The Proteas lost that match, but they bounced back to claim the World Test Championship against Australia a year ago. In that hard-fought contest, Markram added more battle scars as his century helped seal a historic victory for SA.

It seems as though Markram is tapping into all these experiences at the T20 World Cup. His maturity as a player and captain is there for all to see.

He is no longer just a stylish batter who happens to be captain. He has evolved into a captain whose batting is empowered by his leadership role. DM