‘Hope we can make you proud in SA20’ - DSG captain Keshav Maharaj's message to Indian fans

DSG captain Keshav Maharaj has emphasized the importance of maintaining optimism amidst challenging moments.

In his home conditions, Maharaj made an immediate impact with a perfect delivery that drifted in the air and turned sharply off the pitch, hitting the top of Super Kings captain Faf du Plessis' off stump. Maharaj, with figures of 2/17, continued to excel, securing a second wicket by clean bowling Ronan Herrmann in the next over after the rookie attempted an unsuccessful reverse sweep. Expressing gratitude for the overwhelming love and support received in India, he conveyed a heartfelt message to the fans as well.

"No, I think if you look at it, we knew it happened quickly, but you always feel like you’re never in the game with a wicket like this. But if you take wickets in regular intervals, you stand a better chance of winning," Maharaj said while reflecting on the match dynamics in his post-match interview after DSG beat Joburg Super Kings to win their third match on the trot.

He underscored the team's strong camaraderie, highlighting that it is their commitment to delivering an entertaining brand of cricket to bring the crowds back to Durban. 

"I think the boys are doing some good stuff off the field, and it’s translating on the field. Very tight-knit unit, we are there for each other, we are trying to help out. And most importantly, we are trying to bring the crowds back to Durban. So we are playing an entertaining brand of cricket, and the guys are excited and so glad to see the guys put their hands up.” he said.

Noting the surprising turnout on a Monday night, Maharaj anticipates even greater support in upcoming matches this weekend when they face Sunrisers Eastern Cape at home.

“Yeah, it's actually quite surprising; that’s quite a large crowd for a Monday night. And hopefully, for the weekend game on Saturday, the guys come, with triple the amount of people here. I think for the brand of cricket we are playing, hopefully that entices people to come along," Maharaj added.

Expressing gratitude for the overwhelming love and support received in India, he conveyed a heartfelt message to the fans as well.

“Thank you everyone for your love and support. We hope that we can make you proud in this tournament and hopefully go all the way. But obviously, it’s a process and we will try and win every game along the way," he concluded.