Tarouba (Trinidad) South African captain Aiden Markram was sure he didn't want to play another match on the field here but was happy to see his team dominate a challenging track in the semi-final to enter their first World Cup final T20.
The Brian Lara Academy Stadium platform offered considerable off-the-seam movement and the quick South Africans made full use of it to defeat Afghanistan by an insufficient 56.
“If we reflect on this field, we will probably be very happy not to play here again. In T20 cricket in general, what you want is entertainment,” Markram said at the post-match press meet after South Africa defeated Afghanistan by nine wickets.
Markram was delighted to see South Africa find a way to win in a challenging slot.
"The wickets we've had throughout the competition have been quite challenging. It's hard to say a wicket isn't good because it can't always be a batsman's game.
"That said, we're still taking the positives we can. The grounds are tough. So finding a way to win is probably the most important thing."
South Africa will now travel to Barbados for the final against either India or England.
“We've been doing it for most of our careers, you jump from one place to another where the conditions are quite different. So again it's just about adapting and playing the course and the game that you have in front of you.
“We will try to find ways to always take wickets with the ball and, from a batting point of view, try to get to a score that is defendable. “Both teams have to play on the same field,” he noted.
But for now, Markram wants to savor the feeling of entering a World Cup title clash.
“The parts we're realizing now, obviously, it's a really nice feeling. This team has been together for a long time as a white ball group and it is nice for us to reach a final.
“We feel and believe that we can compete with the best in the world and we can win trophies. "It's good for us to have that opportunity now."
The SA captain said winning close matches in the group stages and Super Eights boosted his confidence.
“By winning close games and potentially winning games, you get to believe that you thought you weren't going to win.
“It contributes a lot to the feel of the locker room. So we will take a little confidence and see if we can take advantage of it in the final,” he offered.
In some ways, South Africa have atoned for all their past failures in global events, but Markram insisted the past was not an issue in the current dressing room.
“We haven't talked about it to be honest. I think it is a personal and individual motivation to reach a final; to earn the opportunity to lift the trophy.
"So if you think back, we couldn't get over the line in that semi-final (in the 50-over World Cup against Australia) and if you look at tonight, a few things went in our favor. We managed to win the game and found ourselves in the final".
The 29-year-old patted the South African bowlers for making the semi-final a lopsided affair after dismissing Afghanistan for a record low 56.
“The bowlers, the whole competition, have been really good. Probably saving hitters on certain occasions. So, we have to thank them very much.
Markram had led South Africa to the U-19 World Cup title a decade ago, but he didn't really have that experience here.
“It was a long time ago and my memory is not very good, but you gain a bit of confidence and faith knowing that you have done it before on some level. There are similar pressures that you have to deal with being in a final,” he added.
Markram was also kind enough to acknowledge Afghanistan's wonderful performance at this event.
“It's really cool to see. They have some of the best (players) in the world right now. So they are really on the right track. Getting to a semi-final for them is obviously huge. I think they have inspired a lot of people at home.
“I have seen some photographs that also inspire us to try to make a difference for people at home. I’m sure it won’t be the end of them doing knockout cricket,” he concluded.
The Brian Lara Academy Stadium platform offered considerable off-the-seam movement and the quick South Africans made full use of it to defeat Afghanistan by an insufficient 56.
“If we reflect on this field, we will probably be very happy not to play here again. In T20 cricket in general, what you want is entertainment,” Markram said at the post-match press meet after South Africa defeated Afghanistan by nine wickets.
Markram was delighted to see South Africa find a way to win in a challenging slot.
"The wickets we've had throughout the competition have been quite challenging. It's hard to say a wicket isn't good because it can't always be a batsman's game.
"That said, we're still taking the positives we can. The grounds are tough. So finding a way to win is probably the most important thing."
South Africa will now travel to Barbados for the final against either India or England.
“We've been doing it for most of our careers, you jump from one place to another where the conditions are quite different. So again it's just about adapting and playing the course and the game that you have in front of you.
“We will try to find ways to always take wickets with the ball and, from a batting point of view, try to get to a score that is defendable. “Both teams have to play on the same field,” he noted.
But for now, Markram wants to savor the feeling of entering a World Cup title clash.
“The parts we're realizing now, obviously, it's a really nice feeling. This team has been together for a long time as a white ball group and it is nice for us to reach a final.
“We feel and believe that we can compete with the best in the world and we can win trophies. "It's good for us to have that opportunity now."
The SA captain said winning close matches in the group stages and Super Eights boosted his confidence.
“By winning close games and potentially winning games, you get to believe that you thought you weren't going to win.
“It contributes a lot to the feel of the locker room. So we will take a little confidence and see if we can take advantage of it in the final,” he offered.
In some ways, South Africa have atoned for all their past failures in global events, but Markram insisted the past was not an issue in the current dressing room.
“We haven't talked about it to be honest. I think it is a personal and individual motivation to reach a final; to earn the opportunity to lift the trophy.
"So if you think back, we couldn't get over the line in that semi-final (in the 50-over World Cup against Australia) and if you look at tonight, a few things went in our favor. We managed to win the game and found ourselves in the final".
The 29-year-old patted the South African bowlers for making the semi-final a lopsided affair after dismissing Afghanistan for a record low 56.
“The bowlers, the whole competition, have been really good. Probably saving hitters on certain occasions. So, we have to thank them very much.
Markram had led South Africa to the U-19 World Cup title a decade ago, but he didn't really have that experience here.
“It was a long time ago and my memory is not very good, but you gain a bit of confidence and faith knowing that you have done it before on some level. There are similar pressures that you have to deal with being in a final,” he added.
Markram was also kind enough to acknowledge Afghanistan's wonderful performance at this event.
“It's really cool to see. They have some of the best (players) in the world right now. So they are really on the right track. Getting to a semi-final for them is obviously huge. I think they have inspired a lot of people at home.
“I have seen some photographs that also inspire us to try to make a difference for people at home. I’m sure it won’t be the end of them doing knockout cricket,” he concluded.
