Cricket
Markram's Proteas Eye Historic Series Win and World Test Championship Final Spot
South Africa's Proteas seek a historic Test series win in Asia and a path to the World Test Championship final. With a batting unit eager to deliver, Aiden Markram urges the top order to back their strengths in Chattogram as they face Bangladesh in a crucial Test. Interest in cricket betting is growing as fans wonder if the Proteas can pull off this milestone victory on foreign soil.
Image Credits: Alex Davidson-ICC/ICC via Getty Images
Having won the first Test in Mirpur last week, South Africa have an opportunity to win the country’s first Test series in Asia since the winter of 2014. The spot in the final of the World Test Championship is also up for grabs as India lose series to Blackcaps.
Proteas on the Brink of History
South Africa has a better chance of making the World Test Championship final after New Zealand took an unassailable 2-0 lead in the ongoing three-match Test series against India.
The Proteas have five more matches left in their World Test Championship cycle including tomorrow's second and final Test against Bangladesh at the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium in Chattogram.
Sri Lanka will tour South Africa for two Tests starting in Durban in late November while Pakistan will conclude the South African home summer with two more Tests starting with the Boxing Day Test in Centurion and then the New Year's Test in Cape Town.
Should South Africa win all five matches, they are through to the World Test Championship final at Lord's Cricket Stadium to play the one-off Test which is set to get underway between 11-15 June 2025.
However, the Proteas have the Test in Chattogram to focus on and they have what is their best chance of winning the first Test series in Asia since the Sri Lanka series victory over a decade ago.
Batting Woes in Focus
For that to happen, the Proteas will have to address their batting frailties.
In the first Test, though the side won the match and became the first side to win a Test match in Asia since 2014, the top six batters failed dismally against the Bangladesh spinners Taijul Islam and Mehidy Miraz.
If it wasn't for a century from wicket-keeper batter Kyle Verreynne and Wiaan Mulder's maiden half-century, who both bat outside the top six, South Africa might have found themselves in hot waters and with their World Test Championship ambitions ruined.
Stand-in captain, Aiden Markram, is well aware of their shortcomings as a top six and reiterated that the batters are hungry to put on meaningful contributions starting with the Chattogram Test match tomorrow.
Markram Urges Batters to 'Back Their Strengths'
The 29-year-old emphasised that each batter needs to back their strengths in order to be successful in the subcontinent.
"The discussions that we've had as a batting unit is that the top six are really hungry to contribute. Starting tomorrow, hopefully, we can put our best foot forward. Ultimately (we need to) just score runs," Markram told SportsBoom.com on the eve of the second Test in Chattogram.
"I suppose it's each batter in their own individual and unique way, backing their strengths and finding a way to put the Bangladesh bowlers under some pressure which will make run-scoring a little bit easier and a little bit more free-flowing.”
Ultimately all you can do as a player is to back your strengths, back your options and you hope it's your day.
Aiden Markram
Speaking just before the squad's optional training on the eve of the second Test in Chattogram, Markram said they had not seen the wicket at that point which meant that they could not yet make a calculated guess as to how the pitch would play.
However, Kagiso Rabada made it clear last week in Mirpur that the conditions that they faced in the nets before the first Test were the same ones that they faced in the Test itself.
Chattogram Pitch: An Unknown Factor
This means it is likely that the same trend will unfold ahead of the second Test, and if it does, then South Africa are in for a Test that they will enjoy given that the home-like conditions that Markram said they faced in the nets in Chattogram.
"We haven't seen the pitch yet. We'll have a look now and then try to work out what we can expect," said Markram.
"Just based on the nets, it (the wicket) has a slightly truer bounce, slightly quicker off the wicket."
Ongama Gcwabe is an experienced Sports Journalist based in South Africa. In his career, Ongama’s work has been published in the country’s biggest newspapers company, Independe Newspapers, and some of the leading news and sports websites including IOL Sport.