Seamer Ottneil Baartman has been included in South Africa’s squad for next month’s T20 World Cup.
Baartman was the second-highest wicket-taker in the 2024 edition of the SA20. He played for the Sunrisers Eastern Cape, who won the title.
The Sunrisers won the SA20 title in 2023, too, when Baartman was among the top 10 wicket-takers during the tournament’s inaugural season.
“There is a hype about it and for me, personally, I don’t like it. The media can make or break you, just like one bad performance can put you on the back foot. But I do feel I am on the map now,” ESPNcricinfo quoted Baartman as saying earlier this year.
The 2024 T20 World Cup will be played in the United States of America‘s New York and Dallas – and several West Indies venues.
“I’ve never been outside of South Africa. So I don’t know any of the grounds or what to expect. If I go, it will be a first for me,” added Baartman.
Baartman played for South Western Districts and the Knights before joining the Dolphins in 2020. He has previously been named in South Africa’s ODI squad, but has not yet been capped in international cricket.
“My career started to go up from there, at the Dolphins. They had all the facilities and some world-class coaches,” concluded Baartman.
South Africa have been pooled with Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Netherlands and Nepal in group D at this year’s T20 World Cup.
The Proteas have never won the tournament. They were losing semi-finalists in 2009 and 2014.
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