Unbeaten throughout almost a month of cricket across the United States and the Caribbean, India and South Africa will face off at the Kensington Oval on Saturday in the T20 World Cup final both looking to end long waits for glory.
A tournament which has been a mixed bag in terms of quality, entertainment and attendances, has certainly succeeded in setting up a final between the two best teams in the shortest format.
India crushed defending champions England by 68 runs in Guyana on Thursday, the day after South Africa thrashed Afghanistan by nine wickets in Trinidad to end a long and agonising wait for a title game.
This will be South Africa’s first senior men’s final since the inaugural Champions Trophy in Bangladesh in 1998 when the Proteas beat the West Indies in the title match.
Over the years they have been labelled “chokers” by their critics and had many question how a nation that has produced so many talented players, hasn’t been able to make a final for 26 years.
Skipper Aiden Markram was part of the team which were beaten by Australia in the ODI World Cup last year but says the players haven’t reflected much on the years of near-misses and disappointments.
“We haven’t spoken about it to be honest. I think it’s a personal and individual motivation that you get to a final; to earn the opportunity to hopefully lift the trophy,” he said after the win over the Afghans.
“So you reflect back to five months ago we couldn’t get over the line in that semi-final and you look at (here) a few things went our way. We managed to win the game and we found ourselves in the final.”
Certainly there has been no hint that South Africa have lacked belief in this tournament — they topped group D with a 100% record including wins over Sri Lanka and Bangladesh.
Then in the Super Eights, they won all three games with victories over England and co-hosts West Indies and the US.
