Markram has chance to write his own World Cup chapter against Pakistan

South Africa have won three of their four games against Pakistan at the Cricket World Cup‚ a pattern they need to continue at Lord’s on Sunday.

Faf du Plessis’ team must win the match‚ as well as their remaining league games against Sri Lanka and Australia‚ to retain a chance of reaching the semi-finals.

Even then they will need other results to go their way. But beating Pakistan is a pre-requisite.

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History is on South Africa’s side‚ what with them having won against Pakistan in 1992‚ 1996 and 1999.

The South Africans’ sole loss was suffered at Eden Park in 2015‚ when Mohammad Irfan and Wahab Riaz shared six wickets to dismiss them for 202.

Sarfaraz Ahmed’s 49 and Misbah-ul-Haq’s 56 were the major contributions to Pakistan’s total of 222‚ with Dale Steyn‚ Kyle Abbott and Morné Morkel splitting seven scalps.

Four years on‚ Wahab and Sarfaraz are the only survivors from that encounter still in Pakistan’s dressingroom.

Steyn‚ Abbott and Morkel are no longer part of South Africa’s mix‚ but six members of the current squad were involved in Auckland — Quinton de Kock‚ Hashim Amla‚ Faf du Plessis‚ David Miller and JP Duminy.

The answer to the top trivia question from the match is Younis Khan.

And the question? This: who is the most illustrious of the seven batters AB de Villiers dismissed in one-day internationals?

Younis spooned a leading edge to cover in the 27th over to go for 37‚ ending a stand of 40 with Misbah.

Four years from now‚ who might still be around?

This guy: “We are trying to not look too much into the future in terms of players retiring and things like that.

“It’s something that really is outside of our control as players and as young players‚ especially.

“If you look at guys like ‘KG’ [Kagiso Rabada] and Lungi [Ngidi]‚ they have done incredibly well in their young careers.

“It’s something we are putting a bit of focus on‚ but‚ in a World Cup‚ your focus primarily is on the cricket itself and not too much who is going to move on afterwards.”

That’s Aiden Markram‚ who will have the chance to write his own chapter in South Africa’s World Cup history against Pakistan at Lord’s on Sunday.

Make that his first chapter. Markram is 24 — he has a fair few World Cups left in him yet.