South Africa skipper Aiden Markram will be eager to end his T20I half-century drought when his side meets Australia in the deciding third match of the series. With the South Africa vs Australia T20I battle level at 1-1, the final contest is set to be a high-pressure game.
Markram’s last T20I fifty came in October 2022 during the ICC T20 World Cup against India at Perth, where he struck a crucial 52 while chasing 134. Since that innings, he has scored 555 runs in 30 T20Is, averaging 21.34 with a strike rate of 138.40, and a highest score of 49. He has crossed 20 runs in only 11 of those innings.
Consistent T20 career and IPL boost
Despite his recent T20I struggles, Markram’s overall T20 numbers remain impressive. He has 2,513 runs at an average of 27.92 and a strike rate above 133, with 14 scores of fifty or more, including one century.
In the 2024 Indian Premier League (IPL), playing as an opener for Lucknow Super Giants, Markram amassed 445 runs in 13 matches at an average of 34.23 and a strike rate of 148.82. He registered five fifties, with a best of 66.
Commitment to opening ahead of T20 World Cup
Speaking ahead of the decider, Markram confirmed he will continue opening the batting for the next six months, including the lead-up to the T20 World Cup.
“Going through our squads and (looking at) the players that we have got around, we think that is the best fit,” said Markram as quoted by cricket.com.au.
“We have got some guys in the middle order that are really destructive, a lot more destructive than myself.”
“And we feel it is better off for me and Ricks (Rickelton) to be up top.
I did it a bit at the IPL, I am starting to do it now again at international cricket. It is an exciting role. It is nice to be able to bat in the Powerplay,” he concluded.
However, his T20I record as an opener remains modest, with only 56 runs in five innings and a best of 18.
South Africa T20I Squad: Aiden Markram (c), Corbin Bosch, Dewald Brevis, Nandre Burger, George Linde, Kwena Maphaka, Senuran Muthusamy, Lungi Ngidi, Nqaba Peter, Lhuan-dre Pretorius, Kagiso Rabada, Ryan Rickelton, Tristan Stubbs, Prenelan Subrayen, Rassie van der Dussen.
Australia T20I Squad: Mitchell Marsh (c), Sean Abbott, Alex Carey, Tim David, Ben Dwarshuis, Nathan Ellis, Cameron Green, Aaron Hardie, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Matt Kuhnemann, Glenn Maxwell, Adam Zampa.
Stay updated with the latest Cricket News, Match Predictions, Fantasy Tips, and Live Cricket Action—only on Today Cricket Matches!
