With Aiden Markram involved in the Test series against Sri Lanka, Heinrich Klaasen will captain South Africa in their upcoming T20I series against Pakistan. The series, scheduled between December 10 and 14, will see several key players, including Marco Jansen, Keshav Maharaj, Kagiso Rabada, and Tristan Stubbs, miss out, as they are part of the Test squad against Sri Lanka. These players will return for the ODI series against Pakistan in early 2025, which will be part of South Africa’s final preparations for the Champions Trophy.
Returning to the T20I squad are Anrich Nortje and Tabraiz Shamsi, both of whom last played in the T20 World Cup in June. All-rounder George Linde has also made a return, having last featured in a T20I in 2021. Linde’s recent form in the CSA T20 Challenge, where he scored 171 runs at a strike rate of 178.12 and claimed nine wickets, earned him a spot in the squad.
South Africa’s white-ball head coach, Rob Walter, emphasized Nortje’s experience, stating that playing in multiple 50-over games is not crucial for him ahead of the Champions Trophy. He also highlighted the need for a spinning allrounder, which Linde could fill.
Walter acknowledged the pressure of not winning a bilateral series this year but expressed personal accountability for the team’s performance. The squad will begin preparations with a two-day camp in Pretoria before heading to Durban for the first T20I.
South Africa T20I Squad for Pakistan series:
Heinrich Klaasen (capt), Ottneil Baartman, Matthew Breetzke, Donovan Ferreira, Reeza Hendricks, Patrick Kruger, George Linde, Kwena Maphaka, David Miller, Anrich Nortje, Nqaba Peter, Ryan Rickelton, Tabraiz Shamsi, Andile Simelane, Rassie van der Dussen.
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