Jason Smith is a match-winner, says Proteas captain Aiden Markram ahead of T20 World Cup departure

Proteas T20 captain Aiden Markram hopes Jason Smith has hopefully silenced the doubters that have questioned his T20 World Cup selection after his dynamic performance in the Pink Day T20I against the West Indies at the Bullring. 

Smith took the Proteas to the brink of victory in the 10-over shootout with the Windies, smashing 26 off just 10 balls, including four boundaries and six.

Unfortunately, the 31-year-old was clean bowled by Shamar Joseph in the final over with nine required off three balls.

The Proteas ultimately fell six runs short, but Markram believes Smith has showcased his potential after the initial doubts were raised about his T20 World Cup selection. 

“Yeah, it's big,” Markram said of Smith’s performance.

“Whatever is being said is being said, and I suppose it's on the player, and potentially the environment as well, to make sure that he's able to block that out because it's not the case and we saw it tonight (Saturday) that it's definitely not the case.

"He's a match winner with the bat when he comes off.”

Markram stressed that Smith’s ‘finisher’ role is one of the hardest in the format, but that he showed for MI Cape Town in the Betway SA20 that he can perform his duty under pressure.  

“Seeing glimpses of it in the SA20 as well where he played some really impactful knocks and that's sort of the role that you give a guy like that,” the skipper said.

“He's going to walk in late in the innings. It's not easy to walk in and hit balls out of the park but he's got that ability and he's got that potential and that's exactly why he's in our squad. 

“So, pleased for him that he walked in in quite a big moment and pretty much kept the game alive for us and nearly got us over the line. So, yeah, big positive for him

Markram was, however, pleased that the Proteas’ most experienced finisher David Miller was passed fit to travel to India. Miller had not played for the past two weeks after picking up an injury in the latter stages of Betway SA20. 

“Yeah, it's a huge player for us,” he said. “He brings experience, obviously match-winning ability as well and a calm head in that middle order where we've got some maybe a little bit of an experience but also proper explosiveness which is what we like. 

“And then you add Dave to that 11 and you can sort of bring a nice balance to it. So, great to have him fit and back.

“I believe he's doing really well and I’ve chatted to him a bit this morning and he's bloody excited to get to the boys and get on the road. So, yeah, it seems like he's in a good frame of mind and I look forward to the value that he always brings.”

The Proteas face world champions India in a warm-up match at the DY Patil Stadium on Wednesday before their opening game against Canada in Ahmedabad on Monday, February 9.