‘Hopefully Against PAK…’ Markram Gives Temba Bavuma Health Update After Big Win Over BAN
Aiden Markram with Quinton de Kock against BAN at the 2023 World Cup (x.com)
South Africa, under interim captain Aiden Markram, crumpled Bangladesh by 149 runs in Mumbai to jump to number two on the World Cup 2023 points table. Quinton de Kock pounded a near career-best 174 while middle-overs barbarian Heinrich Klaasen packed a 49-ball 90 and shared 65 runs in just four overs with David Miller.
After the match, Markram hailed South Africa’s comprehensive batting effort and also dropped a huge update involving the return of regular skipper Temba Bavuma back into the playing XI.
Aiden Markram on team’s chasing issue
During the post-match presentation, Aiden Markram hailed Quinton de Kock for his calculated ton and Heinrich Klaasen for his death-overs assault on Bangladesh bowlers. He said:
“See, what Quinny (Quinton de Kock) has done was superb. Then Klaasen comes in and smashes it. Everyone in the team approaches it quite differently. Despite it, they get it down quite nicely.”
The 29-year-old also acknowledged South Africa’s World Cup 2023 success as a team that has been putting runs on the board upfront. The lone defeat Proteas sustained this tournament came against Netherlands when they failed to chase down 245 in a 43-over game.
In each of their remaining four fixtures, the South African players have amassed over 300-plus totals and have registered wins with over 100-run margins. Acknowledging team’s lack of success while chasing, Markram stated:
“We keep striving for big performances. Chasing is not a problem. It's something you can't take for granted, and we won't do that. We have had a chat. See, it's just the things that have gone for us. The more you win batting first, the more you lean that way. But once we get one chase under the belt, and the blueprint, then hopefully, we'll be a good team at chasing.”
Aiden Markram also dropped a huge update involving Temba Bavuma’s return to the playing XI. Bavuma was ruled out of South Africa’s match against defending champions England after he slumped to illness in Mumbai. His deputy claimed that Bavuma might well attain full recovery in time for their next World Cup 2023 match against Pakistan.
“Yeah, Temba Bavuma improved a lot. Coming into this game, we just didn't think that he was ready for it. So as a precautionary measure, we kept him out. Hopefully, against Pakistan, our next game, Temba should make a comeback.”
South Africa’s subsequent World Cup 2023 fixture against Pakistan will be played on October 27. The Proteas, who set their base in Mumbai last week, will now shift to M.A. Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai for their blockbuster showdown with the ‘Men in Green’.
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