A first Test win in the Indian subcontinent for 10 years has come as a major boost to a youthful South African team, captain Aiden Markram said after they beat Bangladesh by seven wickets on Thursday.
South Africa completed victory at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium before lunch on the fourth day after an impressive performance with bat and ball for its first Test win on the subcontinent in 15 matches, dating back to 2014.
“I think it’s special. We’ve a pretty young, or slightly experienced group, so to come to the subcontinent and get a result creates a nice buzz in the change room,” said Markram, who was stand-in skipper for the first Test in place of the injured Temba Bavuma.
“It gives us a bit of belief that we can compete in conditions where the odds are maybe stacked against us. I’ve been playing now for a couple of years and never won in the subcontinent, so it is a special moment for us. Having said that, I think the biggest thing you take from it is the belief and the confidence that you actually gain,” Markram told a press conference.
The second Test in Chittagong starts on Tuesday and South Africa has an eye on a potential place in the World Test Championship decider in London next year.
Thursday’s win moved it up to fourth place in the table and with home series to come against Sri Lanka and Pakistan, it has strengthened its chances of qualifying for the final at Lord’s.
“A lot of the game is played from a confidence and a belief and from a mental side of things, so I think that this win will help a lot of us moving forward. We will see if we can put back-to-back performances together, because that’s ultimately what makes a really good team,” Markram said.
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