Keshav Maharaj leads Proteas to mark 50th T20I milestone

Maharaj made his debut for South Africa in September 2021 against Sri-Lanka in Colombo, a match he captained and won by 28 runs.  

In his milestone appearance, the 36-year-old will lead the side once again in Mount Maunganui in the absence of regular skipper Aiden Markram, and says he still has the same fire inside him as four-and-a-half years ago. 

"Ja, I look back, I'm not getting any younger – what's it been? Five years since I made my debut in Sri Lanka as captain, and here I am in my 50th," said Maharaj.

"I'm really excited, I've got the same buzz and energy and I try and stay true to what I do, so that hasn't changed from a preparation point of view.

"But I'm really excited to lead a really young side, and hoping I can get the best out of them whilst still focussing on giving the performances that I deserve to give the team."

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Maharaj, who boasts 48 wickets in the format at an average of 26.87, spoke of his love for working with younger players and willingness to pass on his knowledge, singling out former captain Faf du Plessis, who did the same for him. 

"I really enjoy it, I love working with the youngsters – I mean, I entered this environment 10 years ago, so I know what it's like to enter as a junior," he added.

"I've played under some amazing captains, but Faf was always one that stood out for me because of the empathy and care, and I try to emulate that style – not just as a captain but just from a senior player within the environment.

"So taking guys under my wing and basically just sort of being that father figure to them, so make sure they have the platform to gain success when they do enter this environment."