Ahmedabad, February 9 South Africa captain Aiden Markram said his team performed well in all three aspects of the game in their comfortable 57-run victory over Canada in their opening Group D match of the T20 World Cup here on Monday.
Markram led the way with a brilliant half-century, as South Africa secured a comprehensive win over Canada.
Sent in to bat, Markram smashed 10 fours and a six in his 59 off 32 balls. Ryan Rickelton (33), Quinton de Kock (25), Tristan Stubbs (34), and David Miller (39) also made valuable contributions, as South Africa posted 213 for 4 after being asked to bat first.
In reply, Canada could only manage 156 for 8 in their 20 overs, with Navneet Dhaliwal (64) being their top scorer.
"It's important to win, and we saw that from the start. Anyone can beat anyone. You can't take anyone lightly. We were solid in all three areas tonight. (Selection) It always depends on the conditions, but it doesn't make things easy. The players are working hard to be a part of the team, and it will be a team effort throughout this World Cup," Markram said.
He credited veteran David Miller and Tristan Stubbs for their excellent finishing.
"That was a crucial phase of the game. They had to rebuild their innings before going for the big shots, and they did that well.
"(Fast bowling) They bowled really well, and there was some movement in the ball. They asked questions, tried to take wickets, and they were successful more often than not."
South Africa pacer Lungi Ngidi, who was named Player of the Match for his 4 for 31, said he had to find a way to take wickets.
"Sometimes you go for boundaries, but bowling risky balls can also lead to wickets," he said.
On playing unfamiliar opponents, he said, "That's one of the things we struggled with – having game plans for players we hadn't seen much of.
"It was trial and error. We tried something, and we talked about it. We worked it out as we went along. But it was straightforward with the new ball.
With the dew, he said the ball would skid on when bowled fuller.
"We knew our attack brought pace, but for me, variations were key. I try to do what I do best – change it up and keep the batsmen guessing."
