South Africa’s white-ball head coach, Rob Walter, has unveiled the 15-player squad for the upcoming three-match T20 International (T20I) series against the West Indies. The series is scheduled to kick off later this month in Trinidad and Tobago, with matches taking place at the renowned Brian Lara Cricket Academy.
The squad announcement brought exciting news for two players making their debut for the national side. Hollywoodbets Dolphins all-rounder Jason Smith and DP World Lions fast bowler Kwena Maphaka have received their maiden call-ups to the Proteas.
New Faces in the Squad
Jason Smith, a hard-hitting middle-order batter, caught the selectors’ attention with his impressive performances in the 2023/24 CSA T20 Challenge. Smith scored a crucial 51 runs in the final against the Lions and finished the tournament with 291 runs at an average of 41.57 and a strike rate of 134.10. His ability to contribute with both bat and ball adds valuable depth to the South African lineup.
Kwena Maphaka, an 18-year-old fast bowler, is another exciting addition to the squad. Maphaka was a standout performer for the junior Proteas in the ICC U19 Men’s World Cup 2024, where he played a pivotal role in South Africa’s semi-final finish. His Player of the Tournament performance saw him take 21 wickets at an astonishing average of 9.71. Maphaka has also made his domestic T20 debut for the Lions and featured for the Mumbai Indians in the Indian Premier League earlier this year.
Unfortunately, Lions spinner Nqaba Peter, who made his T20I debut against the West Indies in May, has been ruled out of the series as he continues his recovery from a shoulder injury.
Building for the Future
Commenting on the squad selection, Rob Walter emphasized the importance of continuing to develop the player pool while maintaining a core of experienced players. He noted that several players were unavailable for selection due to injuries, workload management, or commitments to ongoing T20 leagues.
“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,” said Walter.
Walter also expressed his excitement about the new additions to the squad. “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. 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.”
South Africa T20I Squad for West Indies Series
- Aiden Markram (captain, Momentum Multiply Titans)
- Ottneil Baartman (Hollywoodbets Dolphins)
- Nandre Burger (World Sports Betting Western Province)
- Donovan Ferreira (Momentum Multiply Titans)
- Bjorn Fortuin (DP World Lions)
- Reeza Hendricks (DP World Lions)
- Patrick Kruger (Dafabet Warriors)
- Kwena Maphaka (DP World Lions)
- Wiaan Mulder (DP World Lions)
- Lungi Ngidi (Momentum Multiply Titans)
- Ryan Rickelton (DP World Lions)
- Jason Smith (Hollywoodbets Dolphins)
- Tristan Stubbs (Dafabet Warriors)
- Rassie van der Dussen (DP World Lions)
- Lizaad Williams (Momentum Multiply Titans)
T20I Series Schedule (Local Time)
- Friday, 23 August at 15:00 (21:00 SAST)
West Indies vs South Africa – Brian Lara Cricket Academy, Trinidad and Tobago - Sunday, 25 August at 15:00 (21:00 SAST)
West Indies vs South Africa – Brian Lara Cricket Academy, Trinidad and Tobago - Tuesday, 27 August at 15:00 (21:00 SAST)
West Indies vs South Africa – Brian Lara Cricket Academy, Trinidad and Tobago
The series promises to be an exciting contest as South Africa looks to test its new talents while competing against a strong West Indies side on their home turf.
