IPL contracted players not named in T20 squad
Allrounder Wihan Lubbe and fast bowler Lizaad Williams have received their first call-ups to a South African squad, with Lubbe included in the T20 squad to face Pakistan next month, and Williams in both the T20 and ODI squads. Sisanda Magala, who was part of South Africa’s limited-overs squads to play England and Australia last summer but could not get a game because of fitness concerns, is in both squads.
Aiden Markram and Wiaan Mulder have both been recalled to the ODI squad after last playing in 2019, while Migael Pretorius, who was part of the Test squad against Sri Lanka but did not play, has been selected for the T20s. Kyle Verreynne is also part of the T20 squad for the first time. Daryn Dupavillon is back in the ODI squad after debuting in March 2020.
The teams will be captained by Temba Bavuma, who has taken over from Quinton de Kock as South Africa’s white-ball captain for the next two years. De Kock, who was on a mental health break until this week, has been named in the squad but, along with the rest of the IPL contracted players will be released early. De Kock, Kagiso Rabada, David Miller, Anrich Nortje and Lungi Ngidi are the five players who will leave early. Faf du Plessis, who retired from Test cricket last month but remains available in white-ball formats, has not been selected.
“We’re very excited about these two squads that we have selected for our home tour against Pakistan. The ODI squad boasts the calibre of talent we have in South African Cricket and I’m really excited to see how they go about the series. We have enough experience within that squad to provide a good challenge to Pakistan when they arrive on our shores,” Victor Mpitsang, selection convenor said.
“The T20 squad is also a good indication of our depth as a cricket nation with the loss of some of the senior players to the IPL. We have a massive 18 months of T20 cricket coming up, with two ICC T20 World Cups for players to contest. We as a selection panel are looking forward to seeing what the new additions to the team will contribute to the Proteas’ system.”
All eyes will be on Magala who topped both the domestic one-day and T20 cup wicket-takers’ lists and has established himself as one of the best death-bowlers in the South African game. Keshav Maharaj was the leading spinner in the T20 cup and though he has only been included in the fifty-over group, he has an opportunity to make a case for a long run in white-ball cricket. Maharaj is one of three spinners in the ODI squad, including Tabraiz Shamsi and allrounder Jon-Jon Smuts, who are both in the T20 squad along with George Linde and Bjorn Fortuin. Dwaine Pretorius is the only first-choice seam-bowling allrounder in the T20 squad, leaving no room for Andile Phehlukwayo in the shortest format.
The series will be played in a biosecure environment between Johannesburg and Centurion, and starts on April 2.
ODI squad: Temba Bavuma (captain), Quinton de Kock (wk), Beuran Hendricks, Heinrich Klaasen, Janneman Malan, Keshav Maharaj, Aiden Markram, David Miller, Lungi Ngidi, Anrich Nortje, Andile Phehlukwayo, Kagiso Rabada, Tabraiz Shamsi, Jon-Jon Smuts, Rassie van der Dussen, Junior Dala, Lutho Sipamla, Wiaan Mulder, Sisanda Magala, Kyle Verreynne, Daryn Dupavillon, Lizaad Williams
T20 squad: Temba Bavuma (captain) Bjorn Fortuin, Beuran Hendricks, Reeza Hendricks, Heinrich Klaasen, George Linde, Rassie van der Dussen, Janneman Malan, Sisanda Magala, Dwaine Pretorius, Tabraiz Shamsi, Lutho Sipamla, Kyle Verreynne (wk), Pite van Biljon, Migael Pretorius, Lizaad Williams, Wihan Lubbe
Firdose Moonda is ESPNcricinfo’s South Africa correspondent