I remember the time when Viru, Sachin smashed us all over – Graeme Smith recalls World Cup night in Nagpur

Graeme Smith is regarded as one of cricket’s great leaders, not just in South Africabut elsewhere also. Smith was appointed as South Africa’s captain at the young age of 22 and had travelled to India multiple times both as an on-field player and later as a broadcaster. The current SA20 league commissioner, Smith recalled his time in India during one of the events with Viacom18 Sports in Mumbai recently.

Talking about his favourite memory on the Indian shores over the years, Smith recalled the famous night in Nagpur during the 2011 World Cup where South Africa defeated India. However, what he mentioned was not the win but the electrifying atmosphere during the game and what happened in the early hours of the match. Indian openers Sachin Tendulkar and Virender Sehwag unleashed an onslaught on the star-studded South African bowling line-up after batting first, hitting nearly 150 runs for no loss inside 18 overs. Such was the thrashing that Smith remembers iteven after 11 years.

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"Playing in front of the stands as a player over the years, some of the highlights, you sit back in your room at night and you can't believe it. I won't forget that 2011 game in the World Cup where our highlight was beating India at Nagpur and they went on to win the tournament."

"I remember sitting in my room that night after Viru and Sachin were smashing us everywhere and you just could not get yourself to think, and the noise and the intensity that came from the Indian fans was something that we just never forget," Smith said.

Currently in India to launch the SA20 tournament with JioCinema and Sports18, Smith said he knows how the Indian market can influence this game in this country and across the world. This pet project of Cricket South Africa will get underway in January next year. The franchise-based T20 model consists of six teams - Durban’s Super Giants, Jo’burg Super Kings, MI Cape Town, Paarl Royals, Pretoria Capitals, and Sunrisers Eastern Cape – all owned by IPL franchise owners.

Speaking on India’s influence on cricket, he said, “I think we know that India is one of the strongest markets in cricket in the world. A lot of it relates to the people, the fanfare around the game, the love for cricket, the love for superstars that play the game, and the love for IPL and the Indian cricket is incredible to have experienced as a person."