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South Africa spinner Keshav Maharaj accurately forecasted the finalists of the T20 World Cup 2024 last month. Known for his reliability as a spinner in recent times, Maharaj joined the Rajasthan Royals for the 2024 Indian Premier League season. During a promotional event for the team, he was asked about his prediction for the ongoing T20 World Cup final. After a moment of laughter, Maharaj confidently stated, “I would say South Africa vs India.” This exchange, captured on May 16, has since been shared by the franchise on their platform. Rajasthan Royals acknowledged Maharaj’s foresight in their post, noting, “Maharaj predicted the SA vs IND final during IPL.”
Continuing in the same interview, Maharaj also mentioned how he had made a comparable prediction for the ODI World Cup in 2023. Despite his forecast, South Africa faced a formidable challenge from eventual champions Australia in the semi-finals and were unable to progress further in the tournament.. He said, “I said that last year, and obviously we didn’t cross over the line in the semi-final, but I think it would be a nice thing.”
Maharaj also expressed his belief that South Africa was among the most widely supported and admired teams globally. “I think apart from India being one of the most followed and loved teams in the world, I think South Africa is equally as loved and probably one of the more well-received teams around the world, especially here in India,” the spinner concluded.
Turning our attention to the T20 World Cup 2024, India and South Africa secured spots in the final on June 27. South Africa achieved a historic milestone by defeating Afghanistan by nine wickets, marking their inaugural ICC World Cup final appearance. Meanwhile, India avenged their 2022 disappointments by triumphing over England in the second semi-final.
Regarding Maharaj, his personal performance for South Africa in this World Cup hasn’t been exceptional. Nevertheless, the spinner is now focused on delivering pivotal contributions for the Proteas in the upcoming title clash.
