India and South Africa, who have been unbeaten in over a month of cricket in the United States and the Caribbean, will square off in the T20 World Cup final at the Kensington Oval on Saturday, both hoping to end lengthy waits for triumph.
An event that has been a mixed bag in terms of quality, entertainment, and attendance has undoubtedly succeeded in establishing a final between the two greatest teams in the smallest time frame.
India defeated reigning champions England by 68 runs in Guyana on Thursday, a day after South Africa smashed Afghanistan by nine wickets in Trinidad to end a long and agonizing wait for a title game.
This is South Africa’s first senior men’s final since the first Champions Trophy in Bangladesh in 1998, where the Proteas defeated the West Indies in the title match.
They’ve been dubbed “chokers” by critics throughout the years, and many have wondered how a country with so many good players hasn’t made a final in 26 years.
Skipper Aiden Markram was part of the side that lost to Australia in the ODI World Cup last year, but he claims the players haven’t given much thought to the years of close calls and losses.
“We haven’t discussed it, to be honest. I believe it is a personal and individual drive to reach a final; to earn the opportunity to maybe raise the trophy,” he remarked following the victory against the Afghans.
“So you go back five months ago, when we couldn’t get over the line in that semi-final, and you see here, a couple things went our way. We won the game, and we advanced to the final.”
There has been no sign that South Africa lacks trust in this tournament; they won Group D with a perfect record, including victories against Sri Lanka and Bangladesh.
Then, in the Super Eights, they swept all three games, defeating England, West Indies, and the United States.
