Aiden Markram and the Proteas face their 'Bad Boys' moment in Super 8 at T20 World Cup

“I think the World Cup really starts now.”

These were Albie Morkel’s comments about the Proteas heading to the ICC T20 World Cup Super 8. While we all still have “nightmares”, as Morkel put it, about the Afghanistan epic double Super Over encounter, I couldn’t agree more with Albie. 

The Proteas have played splendid, and some not so splendid cricket, over the past fortnight to progress from a tricky Group D unbeaten. 

As Australia discovered, it's easier said than done with the former champions having already been knocked out. But like the famous quote uttered by Martin Lawrence's character in Bad Boys II, "the s*** just got real" ... it certainly has for the Proteas. 

First up in the Super 8 are defending champions India at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. While the Proteas’ have played the majority of their group matches in the Gujarat state and may feel like they are familiar with the conditions, they will undeniably be the away team on Sunday. 

Having been present at the 2023 World Cup final at the same venue when close to 132 000 people streamed through the turnstiles, and a further half-a-million were outside trying to get in, there’s no doubt a sea of blue will meet Aiden Markram and his men. 

There will be an extra edge to the game, too, for the Proteas came so desperately close to beating India in the T20 World Cup final two years ago in Barbados. 

The build-up throughout this week will centre around revenge with the relentless India media hoping for just one throwaway line to splash over their gazillion ‘Breaking News’ television channels and websites. 

Equally, the recent history between these two sides will also be hauled out with coach Shukri Conrad set to come under fire again for his ‘grovel’ comment during the Test series last year. 

It will be both a test of skill and mental fortitude for let’s not forget that India boast some of the most explosive T20 players in the world in batter Abhishek Sharma, wicket-keeper Ishan Kishan, allrounder Hardik Pandya, captain Suryakumar Yadav and death bowling specialist Jasprit Bumrah. 

Victory for the Proteas would be a major statement, but equally defeat would increase the pressure tenfold ahead of the two remaining matches against West Indies and Zimbabwe. 

The Windies may have fallen short in the recent series against Proteas in South Africa, but they too possess some of the finest ball strikers in Shimron Hetmyer, Shai Hope and Sherfane Rutherford.

Equally, Zimbabwe have proved they are much more than the Proteas’ noisy neighbours at this T20 World Cup, having disposed of Australia enroute to the Super Eights, and their captain Sikandar Raza showed during the Betway SA20 what a handful he can be with his mystery deliveries. 

An exciting week lies ahead which will go a long way in determining the Proteas’ aspirations as genuine T20 World Cup contenders.