00:00How's it, Aiden? Just firstly, maybe on your own captaincy with the scene, I don't know if you saw those
00:07stats going around that in ODI World Cups, T20 World Cups and the youth ODIs you've captained in 25 games
00:15and only lost one at World Cups.
00:18Probably you don't want to speak about yourself too much, but just if you can tell us a bit about
00:22your captaincy and why you think those stats say what they say.
00:26Sure. Is this one on? Yeah. I don't know. Just really good teams around you, I suppose.
00:33Been very fortunate to lead some really strong teams. Great mix of some younger guys with a lot of experience
00:41in the older guys and you feed off the senior guys in the team.
00:47You lean on them a lot and they help guide you and lead you when you have a few doubts
00:51and I think because of that and a really strong group of players over the years,
00:56we've developed that and fortunately it reflects well, but yeah, it's definitely a reflection on the group as a whole.
01:05Aiden, you've had to change venues again and obviously you've not been here. What kind of tactical adjustments do you
01:13think you'll have to make?
01:14Will it be closer to Ahmedabad in terms of what we're expecting from the pitch and would we see that
01:20XI come back?
01:21Yeah, I'm not sure exactly what conditions it would be like. Obviously, we kept a close eye on the India
01:26vs West Indies game that was here to get a bit of an indication.
01:31Briefly, quickly now, I walked out to the wicket. It looks pretty good again. So, I think it's the darker
01:36soil. So, yeah, we'll just have to not wing it, but come up with ways out in the middle after
01:44having seen a couple of balls,
01:45seeing how it's playing and back those plans from there. But, yeah, from an XI point of view, we'll wrap
01:51it up tonight now that we've seen the wicket and then let the boys know and then obviously after that
01:56can let everyone know tomorrow.
02:05You guys hammered these New Zealanders in the first time you've played them in this tournament and people might say,
02:10well, why aren't you simply going to do so again?
02:13Yeah, I wish cricket was that easy. Quality team, New Zealand, they've proved that over many years now and we
02:22had a good run out against them in the group stages.
02:25But, yeah, both teams have played a lot of cricket since then and it's a completely fresh start tomorrow and
02:31it being a semi-final, which is exciting as well.
02:33So, I don't think it's as straightforward as just being able to repeat that again. A lot of variables in
02:39this game, but the other boys are very excited for the opportunity to play in a semi-final against a
02:44good team like New Zealand and, yeah, we'll try to bring our best game to the front again.
02:52Aidan, just wanted to know about your batting a bit. Like, when you're batting, it's the best that we've seen
02:57you bat in T20s in this tournament. So, when you're batting, is it easy or difficult to keep aside the
03:05identity of a captain?
03:07Does the batsman take over the captain when you're batting?
03:10Yeah, it's meant to. It's something that I have fought with a lot over the years, the park and the
03:18captain's here and just being the batter while you're out there batting.
03:20But, yeah, I think you as the captain always want to get the team over the line and maybe because
03:26of that you don't put all your focus into actually just watching the ball and reacting and playing.
03:30But, yeah, a little bit I've learned now from this World Cup and the more recent months is to make
03:38a proper effort to separate the two and if you do your job as a batter for the team, ultimately
03:44it will contribute hopefully in a winning cause and that's where I try to keep the focus.
03:49Hi, Aidan. So, you've got a few recent memories here, some good, some bad in Gardens.
03:56I just wanted to know how much did the Test Series win here in India last November?
04:02How much did that contribute to the wide world confidence of this team?
04:07Yeah, it's a tricky one. Obviously, the guys that were involved in it, it's always a great effort to win
04:14a Test Series here and it was awesome to be a part of that.
04:18There were obviously quite a few guys that weren't here as well that are part of this World Cup team
04:21and I think for them it's maybe watching when they were back at home knowing that
04:27cricket as a whole in South Africa is trending in a good direction and they desperately want to be a
04:31part of something like that and have that opportunity now at the World Cup.
04:35So, I think it does help from a confidence and a belief point of view, but the change in personnel,
04:41yeah, it's a strange one to try and answer.
04:53Yes, I mean, this is just a kind of spin-off to a question on your batting self.
04:57I was just looking at the kind of strike rate at which you were hitting the ball and, you know,
05:03it said that there's a conscious change from you used to be a stabilizing influence at three or four, but
05:10now you're giving it the charge at the power play and, you know, looking to finish the job, set the
05:16tempo by yourself.
05:18So, a conscious decision over the last couple of World Cups, if you can just have a word on that.
05:23Yeah, it is. I mean, opening the batting now in T20 cricket, you don't really have a choice.
05:28You have to get on with things and take the game to the opposition and try to get the team
05:32off to a really strong power play and that's pretty much what I've just tried to focus on.
05:38Not thinking massive numbers, not thinking anything besides the fact that Trout won those first six overs and then if
05:45you're still in from there, keep doing that, of course.
05:48Keep trying to take the game on, but you can probably be a little bit smart in that period after
05:52the power play.
05:53So, yeah, you take it on. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't.
05:57Sometimes it reflects and looks quite nice and there'll be patches where it might not.
06:01But, yeah, I think the approach itself, it's been a conscious one to really try to take the game on
06:06up front.
06:08I am Zafar from Senar2427.
06:11Yeah, the most exciting match of so far in this tournament was the match against Afghanistan.
06:17And New Zealand has that confidence that if Afghanistan can stretch you to two super overs, they can also stretch
06:26you anywhere.
06:27So, what is your comment on this?
06:30Yeah, I suppose they're right.
06:33Afghanistan is a world-class team as well and they were in the semifinals in the previous edition.
06:37So, any team can beat anyone at a World Cup, especially in this format as well.
06:44So, I mean, it takes one or two special performances and that can be the game.
06:49So, anyone can beat anyone, like we've said from the start of this competition and tomorrow we'll have an opportunity
06:56to play in the semifinal and, yeah, hopefully we can put a good game of cricket together.
07:01Hello, Mike.
07:02On paper, today you are one of the most favourite team in this tournament till now.
07:07So, and is there any pressure on that you are getting a good media coverage about your performance and everything?
07:14And you have been very good experience in India.
07:17You have travelled almost many parts of India and they acquainted with the weather.
07:21And this flat, we have the West Indies, we have the, you have seen the match here, it is a
07:26flat pitch and a long score can be evident.
07:29So, what you are thinking of doing here, if winning a toss, whether betting first or changing?
07:36We'll see tomorrow.
07:37A lot of it depends on due and stuff like that.
07:39We'll hopefully get a feel of it tonight at training.
07:44With regards to being favourites or not, that's all different people's opinions.
07:49Us as a team, really just try to focus on putting good games of cricket together and playing that exciting
07:54brand that we've been trying to play the last 18 months or so.
07:58And if it comes off, then hopefully it's entertaining and can sort of put us into a good position.
08:04Cool, we're going to take one right at the back and then we're going to start taking the last two
08:07questions.
08:13Hi, Captain. Here it is.
08:16Captain, a few words on Corbin Bosch and because he has been phenomenal so far in this tournament, especially in
08:22the death wars.
08:23And you have a long association with him since the under 19 days.
08:27So, how it helps you in getting the best out of him?
08:31I just think he's really clear in what he's trying to do.
08:36Paul's a really, really good Yorker and it's something he takes a lot of pride in and has to put
08:40a lot of work in to want that role.
08:43It's not the easiest role nowadays, owning the death overs.
08:46But he, at least from a mindset point of view, really wants it and has been wanting it for a
08:50while and has put the work in.
08:51And I think now the numbers are showing and he's been a massive player for us this World Cup.
08:58He's done really well and I'm sure he's looking forward to bowling some more exciting death overs for the team.
09:17Hi, Makram. So, you guys have been under in this tournament and, you know, playing tomorrow's match.
09:25Do you think that will bring, like, a bit of a pressure in some way?
09:28Because, you know, the law of averages and all that, sometimes they do catch up.
09:32And how are you seeing this?
09:34Yeah, I don't know how it's going to work out tomorrow night.
09:36None of us do.
09:37But you can look at it through various different lenses.
09:42If you want to look at it through that, then I don't think you'd be a very clever man if
09:46you're sitting in our change room.
09:47I think you want to look at it from a side where you bring in a lot of confidence into
09:52a must-win game
09:53and a lot of trust in the plans and the things that we've been doing well.
09:57So, it's as simple as that for us. We're not trying to do anything different tomorrow.
10:03Keep hammering away at the things that we've done well and that have got us here.
10:06And if we can execute that well again tomorrow, we stand a chance.
10:19Sorry, Aidan, there's been a lot of talk and compliments to the South African team
10:24for the way that you guys have read conditions and adapted and the words used is smart cricket, smart strategies.
10:32Do you agree with that?
10:34Has that been, like, sort of a talking point in the group to play smart cricket?
10:37And for this team, what is smart cricket?
10:41Yeah, I think it's more just around making really good decisions under pressure, really.
10:48Got a lot of good experience in the group.
10:50Quinny reads conditions really well from behind the stumps and that makes a massive difference for us.
10:55And we get that around the group and the guys come up with plans from there
10:59and ultimately you need to get those plans, you need to execute them.
11:03So, yeah, we don't try to complicate it too much.
11:07We just really try to get a real feel for conditions as quick as we can
11:12and we back those plans for the innings.
11:15And after that, I think you can reflect and learn lessons whether it goes well or not.
11:21But at least there's a clear direction in which we're trying to move on the day.
11:25Great, thank you very much for having me.
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