South Africa unveil squad for T20I Series against West Indies, some key players rested
Aug 14, 2024
Johannesburg [South Africa] August 14 : South Africa, who recently reached the finals of the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2024, will field a relatively inexperienced team against West Indies for the T20I series starting on August 24.
Notable omissions from the squad include Quinton de Kock, Kagiso Rabada, Keshav Maharaj, Tabraiz Shamsi, and David Miller.
The absence of these big names is due to various reasons as explained by South Africa's white-ball coach, Rob Walter.
"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," Walter said, according to Cricket South Africa.
"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," he added.
Among the new faces in the squad, two players, in particular, have caught Walter's attention, Jason Smith and Kwena Maphaka.
Maphaka, a left-arm seamer, was a standout performer at the 2024 ICC U19 Men's Cricket World Cup, where he took 21 wickets at an impressive average of 9.71.
Jason Smith, an all-rounder with considerable experience in South Africa's domestic cricket, has also been included in the squad.
Walter expressed his enthusiasm about their inclusion. "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," he said
"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," he added.
This T20I series against the West Indies will be a crucial test for South Africa's emerging cricketers as they look to prove themselves on the international stage.
With a mix of youth and experience, the Proteas will aim to build on their recent successes and continue their development under Walter's guidance.
South Africa 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.
