The Proteas’ 15-man squad for the 2024 T20 World Cup includes one black African player – fast bowler Kagiso Rabada.
Fast bowler Lungi Ngidi has been named among the travelling reserves, while all-rounder Andile Phehlukwayo and batsman Temba Bavuma were not selected.
“The reality and my number one imperative is to create a winning Proteas team. In order to do that, every time I have to pick the best at the time that I think will give us a chance of doing that,” IOL quoted Proteas limited-overs coach Rob Walter as saying.
“The system really needs to up the ante so that in six months, 12 months or two years’ time, and in particular when we reach the 2027 Cricket World Cup at home, that the demographics and representation in our team starts to look a bit different.”
Ngidi, Phehlukwayo and Lions leg-spinner Nqaba Peter, meanwhile, have been named in South Africa’s squad for May 2024’s T20I series in the West Indies. This series will precede the T20 World Cup in June.
“Outside of the T20 World Cup, we’ll continue to use our bilateral series to grow our base of players to create international opportunities,” added Walter.
“We need to ensure we’re bought in and are delivering on a process that’s going to change what our team looks like.”
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