Pollock Confident They’ll Finish in Top Eight

South Africa stamped their authority in Ahmedabad, beating New Zealand to make it three wins out of three in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026. Speaking on JioHotstar’s ‘Haier Match Centre Live’, JioStar experts Anil Kumble and Shaun Pollock discussed South Africa’s scintillating form and the performances of Aiden Markram and Marco Jansen.

Speaking on JioHotstar’s ‘Haier Match Centre Live’, JioStar expert Shaun Pollock lavished praise on South Africa’s all-round performance:

“It was a good batting performance, wasn’t it? I think we saw in both innings that the surface was pretty easy at the top of the order to put pressure on the bowling department. But the way Aiden Markram came out, when you’re chasing 175, you have to set the tone. You have to make your team aware of what’s happening and the kind of damage you can do, and he set that tone brilliantly. I thought Marco Jansen was excellent. I was a little surprised they didn’t open the bowling with him, it didn’t quite make sense to me. But we spoke about his extra bounce and how it might be the tonic to counter the strength at the top of the order for New Zealand, and it proved to be the case. He broke that partnership up front, picked up the wicket of Seifert, and also got rid of Chapman when Chapman and Mitchell were looking good in that partnership. So, he was very good, and it was no surprise that he got the Player of the Match.”

On South Africa’s form, winning three games in a row:

“South Africa have hit the ground running and produced some good cricket, particularly in this game. I don’t think they’ll be overly pleased with the way they performed against Afghanistan and how they almost threw that one away. But they’ve got a good mix. All the batters seem to be in good touch. Brevis could probably do a little more in the middle. Bowling-wise, there are plenty of options. You think about the fact that Nortje hasn’t been introduced yet. Maybe South Africa are just missing a mystery spinner, someone like Varun Chakaravarthy, to add a little spice in the middle overs, like Shamsi used to do. But overall, you can’t be unhappy with how South Africa played, and it’s a positive sign moving forward. Mathematically, they still haven’t qualified, but I’d be very surprised if they don’t get over the line and into the top eight.”

On Mark Chapman’s wicket being the turning point:

“Chapman’s dismissal was a big one because, at that stage, Daryl Mitchell and Chapman were flying. It looked like they were going to post a massive total. Based on our predictive score and the rate they were going at, they were on course for 200. If they had accelerated a little more, it could have looked more like 210 or 220. There’s also a lesson for young players. He worked on a new delivery, and that’s the one that got rid of Chapman. It was the knuckleball he developed over the last month or two, and he used it to great effect. The new batter coming in couldn’t score at the same rate. They found it difficult and the scoring rate dropped dramatically. It was a fantastic bowling effort.”

Speaking on JioHotstar’s ‘Haier Match Centre Live’, JioStar expert Anil Kumble heaped praise on Aiden Markram not just for his knock but also for his leadership:

“Absolutely outstanding. Markram is a class act. Whenever he bats, he looks exceptionally good and technically sound. He was not looking to overhit; he was just looking to punch the ball, use the long reach that he has, and when the ball was a bit short, he showed what a powerful hitter he is. Those sixes were just an extension of his shots. When you’re chasing 175 and, as an opener, you give that kind of start, it settles the rest of the guys in the dugout. Quinton de Kock and Aiden Markram led from the front. I thought his captaincy was exceptional as well. Whenever there was a bit of doubt or a change in strategy he wanted to implement with his bowlers, he went to them, paused the game, had those chats, and ensured that the bowlers executed their plans. So, it was absolutely a perfect game for South Africa after the scare they had against Afghanistan.”