South Africa’s T20 World Cup campaign roared to life in Ahmedabad as captain Aiden Markram unleashed hell on Canada, crafting 59 off 32 balls studded with 11 boundaries in the 9th qualifier match. This aggressive outing clinched his fourth T20 World Cup fifty, catapulting him alongside Quinton de Kock into second place on the Proteas’ all-time list, with AB de Villiers’ five remaining the benchmark.
The innings ignited with a powerplay explosion: Markram and de Kock plundered 66 runs in six overs, eclipsed only by the 83/0 against England in 2016. De Kock departed for 25, paving way for Rickelton’s 33 in a 56-run stand. South Africa reached 213/4, recovering from 138/4 via Stubbs (34*) and Miller’s (39*) fireworks – three sixes and a four in Miller’s blitz.
Captain Dilpreet Bajwa and Ans Patel (3 wickets) toiled, but Markram’s calculated assault underscored South Africa’s depth. As they chase a Super 12 berth, this knock reaffirms Markram’s status as a big-match player, blending captaincy cool with boundary-hitting heat.