The Proteas will be looking to hit the reset button when they face the West Indies from Friday in a three-match T20 International series in Trinidad & Tobago.

The match on Friday in Tarouba will be the Proteas white-ball team’s first game since their heartbreaking  7 runs defeat to India in the final of the ICC T20 World Cup in Bridgetown on 29 June. Since then the players have had time to reflect on the disappointment by enjoying some time away from the game or by playing in various leagues across the world.

The Proteas captain, Aiden Markram, said it was important to put the World Cup defeat to bed.

“You should give it as much time as it needs, obviously, it was a tough one to swallow at the time,” said Markram.

“Definitely since then till now, it’s got a bit better to handle, to deal with, and to probably process and put to bed.

“So luckily, I was able to take some time to myself and get away from the game and get away from cricket conversations that would spark a discussion once again about a World Cup final. So, it was nice to get away from that and to reset.

“You process it, each individual pretty much to themselves. Probably the most important thing is just making sure you’re at peace with how it all ended so that you can move on and move forward.”

The first T20 International at the Brian Lara Cricket Ground gets underway at 21:00 on Friday.

Proteas T20 International squad – Aiden Markram (captain, Titans), Ottneil Baartman (Dolphins), Nandré Burger (Western Province), Donovan Ferreira (Titans), Bjorn Fortuin (Lions), Reeza Hendricks (Lions), Patrick Kruger (Warriors), Kwena Maphaka (Lions), Wiaan Mulder (Lions), Lungi Ngidi (Titans), Ryan Rickelton (Lions), Jason Smith (Dolphins), Tristan Stubbs (Warriors), Rassie van der Dussen (Lions) and Lizaad Williams (Titans).

OFM Sport/Morgan Piek dg