Xtra Time Web Desk: Cricket South Africa (CSA) has named their squad for the upcoming T20 World Cup in UAE and Oman starting next month. Temba Bavuma will lead the Proteas squad for the marquee tournament. It will be his first major world event at the helm since his permanent appointment earlier this year. The selectors have not included two experienced cricketers Faf du Plessis and Chris Morris in the squad. Former Proteas captain Faf du Plessis has already retired from test cricket but is still playing the shorter format. He was recently named the captain of Bangla Tigers in T10 league in UAE. He will be also seen in action at the IPL 2021 second leg.
South Africa qualified automatically for the tournament by virtue of their top eight position in the MRF Tyres ICC Men’s T20I Player Rankings. The Super 12 section of the event will take place from 23 October to 14 November with South Africa playing in Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Sharjah.
The same squad will take on Sri Lanka in the upcoming three-match T20 International series in Colombo from 10 to 14 September with the exception of Lungi Ngidi who has joined his IPL team, the Chennai Super Kings, to complete the CSA return to play protocols and to acclimatise to the conditions of the UAE before the start of that tournament. They will be led by Keshav Maharaj, who took over the captaincy on an interim basis from Bavuma after the skipper fractured his right thumb in the first One-Day International (ODI) last week.
Meanwhile CSA has named Justin Sammons and JP Duminy as specialist consultants to the Proteas men’s squad for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup to be played in Oman and the United Arab Emirates next month. The pair will fill the vacancy on a temporary basis caused by the resignation of assistant coach Enoch Nkwe.
“I would like to thank the Imperial Lions and the North West Dragons for making JP and Justin available to us where they are currently employed as the respective batting coaches,” commented CSA Director of Cricket Graeme Smith.
He added, “Justin previously worked with the Proteas during the first part of our current tour of Sri Lanka so he has already developed a good working relationship with the players.
“JP is a perfect fit for T20 cricket. His record as a player speaks for itself and he will bring specific skills in all three disciplines of batting, bowling and fielding,” Smith concluded.
Proteas squad for T20 World Cup 2021:
Temba Bavuma (captain, Imperial Lions), Keshav Maharaj (Hollywoodbets Dolphins), Quinton de Kock (wicketkeeper, Momentum Multiply Titans), Bjorn Fortuin (Imperial Lions), Reeza Hendricks (Imperial Lions), Heinrich Klaasen (Momentum Multiply Titans), Aiden Markram (Momentum Multiply Titans), David Miller (Hollywoodbets Dolphins), Wiaan Mulder (Imperial Lions), Lungi Ngidi (Momentum Multiply Titans), Anrich Nortje (Warriors), Dwaine Pretorius (North West Dragons), Kagiso Rabada (Imperial Lions), Tabraiz Shamsi (Momentum Multiply Titans), Rassie van der Dussen (Imperial Lions).
Travelling reserves: Andile Phehlukwayo (Hollywoodbets Dolphins), George Linde (Six Gun Grill Western Province), Lizaad Williams (Momentum Multiply Titans).