India's T20 World Cup win made in SA through former Protea Morne Morkel and trainer Aiden le Roux

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Morne Morkel has become the latest former Proteas star to win a World Cup with India.

Morkel is the bowling coach of the India team that thrashed New Zealand in the T20 World Cup final in Ahmedabad on Sunday. 

The former Proteas fast bowler, who played 247 matches and took 544 wickets for South Africa, has proved to be hugely popular among the Indian players since joining head coach Gautam Gambhir’s staff in August 2024.

India have a long history in hiring former Proteas who have guided them to World Cup glory. 

Former opening batter Gary Kirsten famously masterminded India’s 2011 ODI World Cup success on home soil.

Former Proteas batter Gary Kirsten famously led India to the 2011 ODI World Cup title.

Part of Kirsten’s coaching staff was former Proteas allrounder Eric Simons, who like Morkel performed the bowling coach duties. South African-born mental conditioning coach Paddy Upton was also a key component of the 2011 India coaching staff.

The current Indian coaching unit also consists of more South Africans in former Proteas strength and conditioning coach Adrian le Roux. 

It is Le Roux’s second stint with the Indian national team and he also has extensive experience with the Kolkata Knight Riders franchise in the IPL.

India’s batting coach Ryan ten Doeschate was also born in Cape Town and played first-class cricket for Western Province before pursuing an international career with the Netherlands. 

Morkel and Ten Doeschate had been vocal in their support for World No 1 T20 batter Abishek Sharma throughout the tournament.

Sharma had endured a miserable opening to the competition, registering three ducks in succession, but came good when it mattered with a half-century in the final at the Narendra Modi Stadium.

"It was not that easy for me. Through the whole year, I was doing so well for the team but at the big occasion, I wasn't able to do well," Sharma said.

"But the faith and confidence the players and the coaches showed in me... I got emotional in between as well. I wanted to do really well in all the games but I couldn't. 

"But they always said one thing: 'You are going to win us the big games." I just wanted to wait for that day. You cannot ask for a better day than this."
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