The star South Africa opener Aiden Markram amazed everyone with his sensational century on the surface of Newlands in Cape Town, which is completely behaving as a bowler’s paradise, especially for the pacers. Markram kept batting and taking charge against the Indian bowlers in the second innings while wickets were continuously falling from the other end.
He scored 106 off just 103 balls with a brilliant strike rate of 102.91, hitting 17 fours and 2 sixes. Other than him, none of the Proteas' batters could even cross or touch the individual score of 20+ runs. The cruciality of Makram’s 106-run knock can also be understood with the fact that the second-highest score after him in the second innings has been the 12 runs scored by skipper and opener Dean Elgar.
Aiden Markram guides South Africa to a respectable total
On the back of Markram’s well-fought and classic century, South Africa have scored 175 runs for the loss of 9 wickets in 36.3 overs in the second innings so far. Number 10 and number 11 batters, Nandre Burger and Lungi Ngidi are there in the middle as the last batting pair for the hosts.
At the time of filling this copy, the Proteas have been bundled out at the score of 176 runs in 36.5 overs as Jasprit Bumrah dismissed the last batter of South Africa in Lungi Ngidi. Talking about the Indian bowling, star pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah scalped 6 wickets at the cost of 61 runs in his 13.5 overs. It is also the 9 five-wicket haul of his Test career in the 61st innings of 32nd match.
Besides Bumrah, Indian pacer Mukesh Kumar also picked 2 wickets, alongside one wicket each bagged by Mohammed Siraj and Prasidh Krishna. Now, India need 79 runs to win this match and equal the two-match Test series by a margin of 1-1 as they lost the first Test in Centurion by an innings and 32 runs.
Here's how fans reacted to the remarkable century scored by Aiden Markram:
Man He is playing on some other Track.
— Prashant (@asitis_me) January 4, 2024
Currently except Markram only
— . (@Edgbaston_144) January 4, 2024
Pant, Head, Marsh, Stokes can play these types of knocks even in a Disastrous pitch
Markram showing his parakram 🔥🔥
— AniveshRai 🐿️ (@Anivesh18367) January 4, 2024
what a carry job by aiden markram
— A. (@lololol23536397) January 4, 2024
SA all out in 176@AidenMarkram 106
— Bandana Proteas ABD Adhikari (Tutu✌✌)🇳🇵 (@sparklingtutu17) January 4, 2024
All other 70...
Crazy...🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥
I still believe @ProteasMenCSA can win this match... Let's go team Burger Rabada Striking early with Jansen adding some... let's see how it goes...#SAvIND #WTC25
Aiden Markram is a talented player , we indians know that and he is playing in Ipl also. we respected talented players and their great knocks . why you chutiya included lawda ka ling gobar and inshallah moulanaa rizwan..those 2 players are chapri players and bhikari players😂
— surya (@udaykumar75247) January 4, 2024
#SAvsIND Aiden Markram top scored with 106 as the Proteas were dismissed for 176 in their 2nd innings.
— EWN Sport (@EWNsport) January 4, 2024
India need 79 runs to win.
@AidenMarkram was ready for fist pump but VK shook hand! Honour for his achievement! And that too when he was batting. #INDvsSA #TestCricket
— Swapan Kumar Saha (@SwapanK80261297) January 4, 2024
The first Men's Int'l 💯 of 2024 goes to Aiden Markram
— Cric-Addict (@GuessWh98609542) January 4, 2024
And what a hundred to start 2024 - One of the best Test 💯s I have seen!#INDvsSA #CricketTwitter
Virat Kohli Congratulated this Special century must appreciate came in difficult situation against tough bowling side well played Aiden Markram 🔥👏💯#INDvsSA #AidenMarkram pic.twitter.com/wt4A1YNYYA
— Yash k_335 (@335Yash) January 4, 2024
Aiden Markram was like a lone warrior for SA in the second innings 👏 @ProteasMenCSA #AidenMarkram #SAvIND #SouthAfricaCricket #CricketNews pic.twitter.com/W9FVhlpVsf
— the_cricket_web (@the_cricket_web) January 4, 2024
Aiden Markram dedicated his hundred to Dean Elgar who is playing his final test match.pic.twitter.com/WH81w6i9NF
— 🅒🅡🅘︎🅒︎🄲🅁🄰🅉🅈𝗠𝗥𝗜𝗚𝗨™ 🇮🇳❤️ (@MSDianMrigu) January 4, 2024