Fresh faces in mix as South Africa reveal squad for West Indies T20Is
South Africa named a 15-member squad for the upcoming three-match T20I series against West Indies.
A relatively inexperienced South Africa team will face off against the West Indies in the upcoming series, with a number of big names including Quinton de Kock, Kagiso Rabada, Keshav Maharaj, Tabraiz Shamsi, and David Miller missing from the team list.
South Africa's last outing in the format saw them reach the finals of the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2024. They had an unbeaten run before losing to India in the final hurdle, by the barest of margins.
While naming the squad, the Proteas white-ball coach Rob Walter gave the reason for the absence of these big names.
“Several players were not considered for this series due to either injury, being in a conditioning block that is related to workload management, or their participation in ongoing T20 leagues.”
However, Walter is looking forward to the West Indies T20Is, which he believed would help the up-and-coming Proteas talent get much-needed international exposure.
“This tour allows us to continue developing our player pool whilst maintaining the core of experienced players. It will also expose our emerging talent to quality international opposition, similar to the last time we played against the West Indies in May.”
In particular, Walter was excited about the addition of Jason Smith and Kwena Maphaka to the lineup. Left-arm pacer Maphaka was the star performer at the 2024 ICC U19 Men’s Cricket World Cup, with 21 scalps at an average of 9.71. On the other hand, Smith is an all-rounder with plenty of experience in the South Africa domestic circuit.
“We’re excited to have Jason [Smith] and Kwena [Maphaka] join the squad for this series. Jason’s recent performances have been impressive, and his ability to contribute with both bat and ball adds valuable depth to our line-up.
“Kwena has been identified as a player with significant potential, and this tour presents a great opportunity to include him in the Proteas environment and gain valuable international experience.”
Squad: Aiden Markram (c), Ottneil Baartman, Nandre Burger, Donovan Ferreira, Bjorn Fortuin, Reeza Hendricks, Patrick Kruger, Kwena Maphaka, Wiaan Mulder, Lungi Ngidi, Ryan Rickelton, Jason Smith, Tristan Stubbs, Rassie van der Dussen, Lizaad Williams.
The three T20Is will be played between August 24-28.