South African spinner Keshav Maharaj has shared his aspiration for a dream final between South Africa and India in the upcoming 2024 T20 World Cup. Reflecting on the teams’ strong performances in the 2023 50-over World Cup, Maharaj expressed his hopes for a top-tier showdown in the next T20 global event.

In the 2023 ODI World Cup, India and South Africa were formidable forces, securing the top two positions in the group stage. India went on to clinch a runners-up finish, while South Africa’s journey concluded in the semi-finals, both teams falling to Australia. Follow your favourite cricket team with attractive betting odds from Nextbet. 

Maharaj recalled that many Indian fans had anticipated an India-South Africa final, a sentiment he echoed in an interview with Sports Tak: “We always go there with a directive in mind to try and win the World Cup. Hopefully, we can rectify that. It’ll be amazing to have a South Africa vs India final. After the round robins, just hearing the locals in India saying that they want a South Africa-India final.”

Maharaj, who captains Durban’s Super Giants in the SA20 league, spoke highly of the tournament’s rapid progress in its second season.

Drawing comparisons with the Indian Premier League (IPL), he commented on the rising standards and the influx of international talent in the South African league: “The standards are quite high in the South African league, just looking at the internationals that are coming and playing across the brand and style of cricket. 200 is being chased down with ease these days. From a skill point of view, we are closing in on the IPL. It’s only been our second year.”

The IPL’s success and high cricketing standards are benchmarks Maharaj hopes the SA20 can emulate and possibly match in the coming years. His optimism reflects the growing stature of the South African league in the global cricketing landscape.

In the ongoing SA20 2024 edition, the Super Giants, under Maharaj’s leadership, have been a standout team. They have become the first team to qualify for the playoffs, leading the table with six wins from eight games. This performance underscores the competitive nature of the tournament and the potential it holds. Get free cricket betting tips only on Nextbet Sports.