It’s all about making good decisions under pressure: Aiden Markram

Kolkata: South Africa captain Aiden Markram has been the calm at the centre of his team’s unbeaten surge through the T20 World Cup, but the 31-year-old is quick to deflect praise toward the collective after Tuesday’s training session at Eden Gardens. “I’m just fortunate to lead a really strong team,” he said. “It’s a great mix of some young guys and the older ones with a lot of experience. You lean on them and they help guide you and lead you when you have a few doubts.”

Markram, striking at 175.16 in the tournament, believes the art of captaincy in the shortest format boils down to clarity when the heat rises. “I think it’s more about making really good decisions under pressure,” he explained. “Quinny (Quinton de Kock) reads conditions really well from behind the stumps and that makes a massive difference for us.”

The skipper has also worked to firewall his dual responsibilities. “A little bit that I’ve learned from this World Cup and the more recent months is to make a proper effort to separate the two roles. If you do your job as a batter for the team, ultimately it will contribute, hopefully, in a winning cause.”

South Africa’s group-stage dismantling of New Zealand has already been filed away. “I wish cricket was that easy,” Markram smiled. “It’s a completely fresh start and it is a semifinal. I don’t think it’s as straightforward as being able to repeat that again.”

Across the hallway, New Zealand captain Mitchell Santner embraced the underdog label that has shadowed his side for years. “Well, we’ve had that tag for a long time, so we’re kind of used to it,” he said. Santner is banking on lessons learnt from the earlier loss to South Africa. “I think they have all bases covered, and that’s why they’re undefeated in this tournament. We’re just going to go out there and try to put some pressure on them at different stages of the game.”

With dew expected later in the evening, Santner remained pragmatic. “Whatever you do first, if you do it well, you put yourself in a pretty good position.”

As both sides completed their final preparations, the stage is set for a semifinal clash where every decision, and every over, will be dissected under the Kolkata lights.