Brad Hogg sees South Africa claiming T20 World Cup title

Former Australian cricketer Brad Hogg is optimistic that South Africa will finally break their long-standing ICC trophy drought by winning the T20 World Cup 2024 in the West Indies. 

South Africa, led by Aiden Markram, is one of the two unbeaten teams left in the tournament alongside India. They have displayed exceptional form, winning all their matches so far and are set to face Afghanistan in the semi-finals.

Hogg, speaking exclusively to Star Sports Press Room, expressed his belief that South Africa's well-balanced team and strong performances make them the favorites to win the title. He highlighted players like Reeza Hendricks and Heinrich Klaasen as key contributors to the team's success.

“They are just spawning from here. It’s amazing. I regard Hendricks as well, I really like him as a player. And then you've got to build a wall, they can build a nice spin with especially Klassen. I expect him to do really well against Afghanistan and get to the finals. I think it is going to be South Africa and we have got a really strong squad, good spin with Shamsi and Maharaj,” Hogg said.

"I don't plan on the big nations now, and I think they'll have to go out there and play it out again instead and just have that confidence to go with the final side. For me, if they get past that semi-final right, South Africa is going to win the final this year," he further added.

Hogg praised the team's balance, aggression, and leadership under Markram, noting the captain's composed nature and strategic approach. He emphasized that South Africa's chances are strong due to their ability to remain calm under pressure and adapt to different conditions.

“I just think I've got the team balanced and I've got the aggression as well. I've got that kindness. I really like Markram as the captain. He is correct and very composed. And I also think we are going to win as a very well-composed team, not panicking and just setting the right conditions," Hogg said.

South Africa has historically struggled to secure an ICC trophy, despite having some of the best players in cricket over the years. They have come close in previous tournaments, reaching the semi-finals of the T20 World Cup in 2009 and 2014, only to be knocked out by Pakistan and India, respectively. In the ODI World Cups of 2015 and 2023, they were defeated by New Zealand and Australia in the semi-finals.

This year, the team hopes to turn their fortunes around and finally bring home an ICC trophy. With their current form and determination, South Africa is poised to make a strong bid for the T20 World Cup 2024 title.