T20 WC, semi-final: Can Aiden Markram continue his dominance?
What's the story
South Africa captain Aiden Markram is a key player to watch in the first semi-final of the ICC T20 World Cup against New Zealand on Wednesday. The Proteas have an unbeaten 5-0 record against the Black Caps in T20 WCs, but knockout matches are different. The tempo at which runs are scored can change the course of a game, and Markram has been instrumental in South Africa's aggressive approach. Here we decode his T20I record against NZ.
DYK
Solitary outing against the Kiwis
As per ESPNcricinfo, Markram's only T20I assignment against the Kiwis came in the group stage of the ongoing event. The match saw New Zealand score 175/7 in 20 overs at Ahmedabad's Narendra Modi Stadium. In response, Markram's superb knock helped South Africa (178/3) cross the line with as many as 17 balls to spare. The SA skipper scored a solid 86* off 44 balls, hitting 8 fours and 4 sixes.
Feat
Markram only behind Kemp
Markram recorded the joint-second-highest individual score for SA in a T20 WC match against the Kiwis. He is only behind Justin Kemp, who made 89* against them in the 2009 edition. Meanwhile, JP Duminy also scored an unbeaten 68 against NZ in the 2014 competition.
Batting strategy
Highest strike rate among openers in T20 WCs
Markram has the highest strike rate (175.16) among regular openers who have faced at least 100 balls in this World Cup. His average is also an impressive 53.60, having scored 268 runs across eight innings. The tally includes 10 sixes and three fifties. Notably, no other SA batter has scored 250 runs in a T20 WC edition.
Information
2,000 T20I runs loading for Markram
Overall, Markram has scored 1,948 runs from 76 T20Is at an average of 31.93. The tally includes 14 fifties, with the 86* in the aforementioned NZ game being his best score (SR: 148.47). 652 of his runs have come in the 26 T20 WC matches at 32.60 (50s: 6).