Listen to Story Captain Aiden Markram is confident South Africa can finally end their luckless run at the ICC tournaments as the Proteas gear up to take on Sri Lanka in the Group D opener at the Nassau County International Cricket Stadium on Long Island, New York. The new stadium, featuring a drop-in pitch, recently hosted its first international match where India defeated Bangladesh by 60 runs, with seamers playing a crucial role by taking seven wickets, posing a selection dilemma for South Africa who brought three frontline spinners; thus, they might need to adjust their strategy depending on the pitch conditions. "On the day we will have to assess really quickly and then adapt plans that will help us do well," Markram told reporters on Sunday.
"It is an exciting day; we didn't think we would ever be playing a World Cup game in New York. It's a beautiful training facility and we will get a first look at the stadium and the pitch later to assess things." Adding to the challenge, the match is scheduled to start at 10:30 am local time, an unusual slot for a T20 game where crisp morning conditions could prevail.
However, Markram indicated that the team has adapted well. "We are used to mostly playing in the evenings, but we have had a routine since we got here to wake up early and do things together as a team early in the mornings. By now, we are used to it," he said.
T20 WORLD CUP: FULL COVERAGE Historically, South Africa has faced numerous disappointments in the 50-over and 2.
