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Player profiles: Proteas squad for the T20 World Cup
The national squad consists of 15 players.
Temba Bavuma, Heinrich Klaasen and David Miller are in the SA squad for the T20 World Cup. Picture: Gallo Images
South Africa will open their campaign against Zimbabwe in Hobart on Monday, as they go in search of their maiden title at the T20 World Cup.
Though they were among eight teams who received a bye in the opening round this week, they’ll have to be at their best to reach the playoffs after being drawn in the same pool as the world’s top-ranked side, India, and consistent performers Pakistan.
ALSO READ: Favourites and underdogs – Who to watch, or not, at the T20 World Cup
We take a closer look at each of the 15 players who are in the national squad.
Temba Bavuma
Age: 32
Role: right-hand batter
T20I matches: 28
Runs: 565 (23.54 ave)
High score: 72
Strike-rate: 116.49
A gritty competitor who will be out to prove the rest of the world wrong when it comes to criticism of his T20 game and his low strike-rate.
Quinton de Kock
Age: 29
Role: wicketkeeper/left-hand batter
T20I matches: 72
Runs: 2032 (32.25 ave)
High score: 79*
Strike-rate: 134.12
A powerful hitter and excellent strokemaker whose innings are usually populated with a high percentage of boundaries, especially in the opening powerplay.
Aiden Markram
Age: 27
Role: right-hand batter/right-arm spin bowler
T20I matches: 26
Runs: 780 (41.05 ave)
High score: 70
Strike-rate: 151.16
Wickets: 6 (24.66 ave)
Best bowling: 3/21
Economy rate: 7.40
A classically elegant batsman who has now found his niche in the middle-order, he scores all around the wicket, but extra cover to long-on is his strongest area, while his improving off-spin brings sixth-bowler balance to the team.
Rilee Rossouw
Age: 32
Role: left-hand batter
T20I matches: 21
Runs: 558 (37.20 ave)
High score: 100*
Strike-rate: 152.87
A potential match-winner for the Proteas who has played for numerous teams in global T20 leagues, Rossouw is an extremely dangerous batsman.
David Miller
Age: 33
Role: left-hand batter
T20I matches: 107
Runs: 2069 (33.91 ave)
High score: 106*
Strike-rate: 145.49
“This guy can hit the ball out of the ground, I tell ya!” is perhaps what Tony Greig would have said about South Africa’s ace finisher, who is in superb form at the moment.
Reeza Hendricks
Age: 33
Role: right-hand batter
T20I matches: 48
Runs: 1372 (29.82 ave)
High score: 74
Strike-rate: 125.41
Revitalised as a white-ball cricketer and now one of the hottest T20 batsmen South Africa, the question now is how to fit him in the starting XI.
Tristan Stubbs
Age: 22
Role: right-hand batter
T20I matches: 9
Runs: 142 (28.40 ave)
High score: 72
Strike-rate: 191.89
South Africa’s newest batting sensation, if he stays at the crease for any length of time he takes the game away from the opposition.
Heinrich Klaasen
Age 31
Role: wicketkeeper/right-hand batter
T20I matches: 36
Runs: 651 (25.03 ave)
High score: 81
Strike-rate: 147.61
Powerful and good against spin, Klaasen can help build a partnership and also smite a few boundaries in quick time, but he currently plays second-fiddle to Miller and Stubbs.
Tabraiz Shamsi
Age: 32
Role: left-arm spin bowler
T20I matches: 57
Wickets: 69 (21.42 ave)
Best bowling: 5/24
Economy: 7.15
Always difficult for batters to read, attacking Shamsi is not easy due to the uncertainty he creates by spinning the ball both ways.
Keshav Maharaj
Age: 32
Role: Left-arm orthodox spin bowler
T20I matches played: 21
Wickets: 19 (27.15 ave)
Best bowling: 2/21
Economy rate: 7.18
An extremely accurate and skilful spinner who just never disappoints, South Africa are in trouble if they need runs from him, but Maharaj can also hit big.
Lungi Ngidi
Age: 26
Role: right-arm fast bowler
T20I matches: 32
Wickets: 51 (18.52 ave)
Best bowling: 5/39
Economy: 8.91
He can bowl with seam movement and bounce up front to take wickets in the first powerplay, and with excellent skill and variation at the death, his talents are needed alongside the greater pace of the other quick bowlers.
Anrich Nortje
Age: 28
Role: right-arm fast bowler
T20I matches: 24
Wickets: 24 (24.79 ave)
Best bowling: 3/8
Economy rate: 7.50
His sheer pace brings fire to the Proteas attack and he will rattle a few cages on the firm Australian pitches, and though he can go for a few runs, he is likely to take crucial wickets as well.
Kagiso Rabada
Age: 27
Role: right-arm fast bowler
T20I matches: 49
Wickets: 54 (27.64 ave)
Best bowling: 3/20
Economy: 8.42
Having already made his mark in the eight T20 World Cup matches he has played, taking 13 wickets, Rabada is accurate up front and skilful enough to extract whatever assistance there is in the pitch.
Wayne Parnell
Age: 33
Role: left-arm fast bowler/left-hand batsman
T20I matches: 48
Wickets: 52 (25.00 ave)
Best bowling: 5/30
Economy rate: 8.28
Runs: 163 (27.16 ave)
High score: 29*
Strike-rate: 102.51
A welcome returnee to the Proteas set-up after his dark days in the squad in the past, he can swing the ball to deadly effect up front and could be in his element with Australia having a wet summer.
Marco Jansen
Age: 22
Role: left-arm fast bowler/right-hand batter
T20I matches: 1
Wickets: 1 (38.00 ave)
Best bowling: 1/38
Economy: 9.50
Runs: 12 (12.00 ave)
High score: 12
Strike-rate: 70.58
A late replacement for Dwaine Pretorius in the World Cup squad, he will add yet more pace and bounce to the bowling attack, but also left-arm variation.
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