Picture Credit: Twitter
Leading from the front as he so often does when it comes to dictating matters with the bat in hand, Proteas captain Aiden Markram got his T20 World Cup campaign off to a flying start against Canada. On February 9, 2026, as South Africa opened their important campaign against World Cup newbies Canada who’re playing the epic ICC tournament for the first time time here in the Indian subcontinent, the right hander ensured that South Africa smoked some smouldering hits with the bat.
Reaching his half century in absolutely no time whatsoever, the South African batting ace combined great batting dexterity with customary focus to solidify his team’s chances in the important opening game.
Not only is this contest an exciting opportunity for Markram’s Proteas powerhouse since it’s a game in the T20 World Cup, but also a fantastic occasion and opportunity to put on some big runs on the board so that they can immediately up the ante of net run rate by heavy run scoring.
And guess what? The charismatic top order performer ensured just that as Aiden Markram wasted no time whatsoever in speeding up the flow of runs from his unsparing blade, carving and darting his big hits on either side of the wicket as some of Canada’s better bowlers too, such as spinner Bajwa were found struggling and perhaps missing that rhythm.
Markram reached what became his 12th T20I fifty-plus score in a South African jersey, in a career that’s been on the upward trajectory ever since the usually calm and composed batter has assumed the leadership in the briefest format of the game. It’s a format in which, lest we forget, together with the likes of Keshav Maharaj, Quinton de Kock, Aiden Markram represents the very best of Protea cricketing talent.
By the time his South African team had touched the 12th over of their innings, with the score reaching well past 120, Markram was firmly positioned at one end.
He would eventually be caught by Heyliger off Ansh Patel for a gritty and customary attacking 59 that came off just 32!
