South Africa captain Aiden Markram has cautioned his team about underestimating the United States ahead of their T20 World Cup match, asserting that the Americans are “not a small team anymore”.
The USA shocked the cricket world by defeating former champions Pakistan in the first round, securing their place in the elite Super Eights second stage. “They have been really good. A lot of people will say ‘smaller nation’, but they’re not and they’ve proved that they’re not anymore,” said Markram. “We’re going to have to be on our best game for things to go well, but I’m excited for that challenge.”
With 12 of the original 20 teams eliminated, the USA is full of confidence heading into the Super Eights. They will face tough competition from two-time winners West Indies and defending champions England in their group. The other group includes India, Australia, Afghanistan, and Bangladesh.
South Africa had a perfect record in their opening group, winning all four games. However, their victories were not without struggle. They bowled out Sri Lanka for just 77 and narrowly defeated the Netherlands, Bangladesh, and Nepal.
Despite the challenges, South Africa’s bowlers, particularly Anrich Nortje with nine wickets, have performed well. However, the team’s batting has struggled, with only David Miller breaking into the top 20 run-scorers. Markram acknowledged the batting issues, saying, “Still striving for that perfect game.”
The USA team features South African-born Shadley van Schalkwyk, known for his distinctive red, white, and blue socks. US batsman Aaron Jones commented on van Schalkwyk’s unique style, “He really enjoys it. We like it. Every game we look forward to see which socks he’s going to wear.”
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