BRIDGETOWN, Barbados: South Africa captain Aiden Markram says his team are driven by an “extreme hunger” to win as they search for their first T20 World Cup title against India on Saturday.
Until Wednesday’s victory over Afghanistan, the Proteas had suffered seven defeats in World Cup semifinals, in both T20 and 50-over formats, and will be playing in the title game for the first time.
Markram says that far from being consumed by past shortcomings, his team has shown throughout the tournament, where they have been unbeaten, a powerful desire.
“There’s a really strong will to win, I don’t think it’s on the level of desperation though but it’s an extreme hunger to win games of cricket,” he told a press conference on Friday.
His team may not be conditioned by the defeats of the past but, says Markram, they are certainly motivated by them.
“We haven’t achieved ideally on the world stage what we would have liked to and I think that gets the juices going a bit for the boys to finally achieve it and try to achieve it at least,” he said.
As well as some convincing wins, South Africa have edged victories in close encounters with Bangladesh, Nepal and England and those performances, says Markram showed his team’s mental strength.
“I think you’ve seen it in the close results, we’ve probably not played some of our best cricket in certain games but that ultimately sort of drives you to go out and get the job done,” he said.
“That’s probably one thing that’s really stood out for me in this group, you win those close games and take a lot of belief moving forward that sort of from any position you feel like you can still win the game,” he said.
It has been a real team effort from South Africa with Quinton de Kock their top scorer with 204 runs at an average of 25.50 and David Miller adding 148 at 29.60.
The wickets have also been spread around with Anrich Nortje, Kagiso Rabada, Tabraiz Shamsi all having double figures wicket tallies.
That hunger of the collective remains, says the Proteas skipper, despite the joy of ending the run of seven semifinal losses.
“We were obviously a happy bunch the other night after qualifying for the final but it’s amazing, I’m sure all teams do it, but straight after that game in the changing room, you still reflect and you say, guys we’ve still got one more step to go,” he said.
“It’s not driven by coach or by captain, the whole unit sort of feels that and is driven by that. As a general rule, sportsmen are highly competitive people and nobody would want to lose in a situation of a final so I think there’s no sense that the guys are satisfied regardless of the result. I think there’s still a massive hunger for us to go out and win Saturday’s game,” he added.
T20 World Cup victory a ‘hunger game’ as South Africa meet India in final today
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T20 World Cup victory a ‘hunger game’ as South Africa meet India in final today
- Until Wednesday’s victory over Afghanistan, the Proteas had suffered seven defeats in World Cup semifinals
- Markram says far from being consumed by past shortcomings, his team has shown powerful desire throughout series
Football’s return to Syrian pitches brings fanfare — and friction
RIYADH: Just 10 days after the first anniversary of Syria’s Liberation Day, and one week after the historic performance of the country’s football team at the 2025 Arab Cup — where they reached the quarterfinals — domestic football returned as the Syrian Premier League kicked off its new season.
While league football has continued intermittently since a one-year suspension in 2011, this season represents a notable shift.
For the first time since 2017, the competition features 16 teams playing a full round-robin format — a return to structural normality after years of disrupted campaigns, withdrawals and operational challenges caused by conflict and deteriorating infrastructure.
Foreign players have also returned in significant numbers. A total of 25 overseas players are registered across the 16 clubs in what is now known as the “Prime TV” Syrian Premier League, following the broadcaster’s acquisition of domestic broadcasting rights for the season.
Yet despite the sense of renewal, the league’s reset has been far from smooth. Average attendances remain well below pre-war levels, while the season itself was delayed multiple times before eventually beginning in mid-December — a schedule that is now expected to extend deep into the summer months.
Concerns over facilities and fan safety have already sparked internal tension. The anticipated Matchday Two fixture between Tishreen and Hottin — also known as the Latakia Derby — was postponed by the Syrian Football Association until further notice. No official explanation was provided, but stadium readiness and crowd safety has been at the core of football discussion in Syria.
Supporters have also voiced their frustration over the newly announced ticket prices. Entry fees increased from 5,000 Syrian pounds ($0.45) to 15,000 SYP, a threefold rise announced by the SFA and widely cited as a factor behind subdued crowds.
Infrastructure remains a pressing issue. Historic venues such as Khalid Ibn Al-Walid Stadium in the city of Homs are still not cleared to host games due to pitch conditions and safety requirements, reinforcing the sense of uneven progress — advances made, but frequently offset by new obstacles.
Operational shortcomings were evident as early as the first game of the season. In the opening fixture between Al-Shorta and Hottin, a formal warning was issued to the former by the Disciplinary and Ethics Committee due to a breach in organizational arrangements for the match, including the failure to provide ball boys, which led to a five-minute delay to kick-off.
Political sensitivities have not been easy to navigate either. Al-Karamah were fined 1,500,000 SYP after fans directed verbal abuse at Al-Wahda player Milad Hamad, due to previous political posts made on his Facebook account.
Five days later, Al-Wahda announced Hamad’s suspension from all sporting activities pending review by the relevant committee at the SFA. “This decision comes in solidarity with all our beloved Syrian fans and as a reaffirmation of our commitment to the unity of our people and our land, and to the fact that the blood of our martyrs in the Syrian Revolution has not been shed in vain,” the club said in a statement posted via their official Facebook page.
Rebuilding a sustainable football system in Syria has proven complex. The league’s return has brought moments of excitement alongside renewed tension — a reminder that restoring domestic football is not simply about restarting competition, but about addressing the structures that support it. The Syrian Football Association was contacted for comment, but did not respond.
