Bridgetown (Barbados): Failing to cross the line to victory in a nail-biting Final against India, South Africa captain Aiden Markram emotionally expressed pride in his team's overall performance but acknowledged the pain of such a close defeat.
"It's not a specific moment," Markram said, addressing the key question of where the match was lost. "It's an overall game of 40 overs, and if you look at a couple of moments, potentially, we could have done better. But all in all, I'm still proud of the performance we put together today in a final."
Despite the heartbreak, Markram remained optimistic about the future of South African cricket. "This group's a great bunch of people," he said. "In my opinion, they deserve really good things to go their way. I had a really good feeling about this competition before we came here, and as the competition went on, that feeling got stronger and stronger. So, pretty tough to deal with now, but it's a sport at the end of the day. Someone's going to win, someone's going to lose. And we'll try to use it to fire us up for future events," he said, trying to keep his eyes dry.
Reflecting on the overall campaign, Markram highlighted the team's growth and potential. "A great group of guys that's been together for quite a long time now. To get to our first final, like I mentioned a few days ago, it's something we can be proud of. Still, in our eyes, not good enough. You're not satisfied with making a final, but still, I think it'll take a bit of time for us to reflect back on all the good things that we've done, but obviously, for the time being, it just hurts a lot."
The match saw South Africa chasing a target of 176 runs on a pitch that Markram praised for its consistency. "I thought the wicket played really well, to be honest. I think it stayed consistent throughout the game. I didn't see it changing a lot. Our batters came off after getting out, saying it felt like a really good wicket. So hats off to the groundsman for preparing the wicket that he did. It’s a great game of cricket to have a final like that on a good wicket, something in it for the bowlers, something in it for the batters. Just a good spectacle overall."
Markram acknowledged the turning point came down to India's disciplined bowling and fielding in the final stages. "It's not the first game of cricket that's been lost with a team needing 30 off 30 – it’s more that India was allowed to bowl well, they're allowed to field well, they're allowed to go from that position to a position of strength. It happens often in this game."
Despite the defeat, Markram emphasized the importance of channelling the disappointment into future successes. "One thing that will definitely be said is how proud we are. Not just of today, the game itself, but the competition as a whole, the build-up to get here. So, in hindsight, things will still feel really good about this competition. But like I mentioned, just for the time being, it stings a bit, but it's good for it to sting. It gives you that little bit of fire in the belly for the next time that you're here."
As for the future, Markram remains hopeful. "Hopefully, it's one step closer. It's tournament cricket, it's tough cricket, it's not easy to win trophies, and you've got to take your hats off to a team like India for lifting the trophy. A lot of hard work goes into it. But yeah, we'd like to think we're one step closer, and hopefully, moving forward, we can get that first win, and it can be a snowball effect of quite a few to come."
In a final that saw intense emotions and remarkable performances, South Africa's journey ended in heartbreak, but with a promise of brighter days ahead.
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