Heinrich Klaasen to lead South Africa in T20Is against Pakistan
Wicket-keeper batter Heinrich Klaasen has been named South Africa's captain for the upcoming three-match T20I series against Pakistan. The decision comes as Aiden Markram remains unavailable due to his ongoing Test assignment against Sri Lanka. The T20I series will kick-off on December 10, a day after the conclusion of the 2nd Test match against Sri Lanka in Gqeberha.
Key players to miss T20I series
Several other marquee players like Marco Jansen, Keshav Maharaj, Kagiso Rabada, and Tristan Stubbs will miss the T20I squad due to the tight schedule. The likes of Ryan Rickelton, Kwena Maphaka, and Matthew Breetzke, who are part of the Test squad, will join the T20I setup after the 2nd Test. This reshuffling is necessitated by a short turnaround time between matches.
Nortje, Shamsi return to South Africa's T20I squad
Notably, Anrich Nortje and Tabraiz Shamsi are returning to the national side for the T20I series against Pakistan. They last played for their country in the ICC T20 World Cup final in June this year. George Linde has also made the cut after his impressive showing in the CSA T20 Challenge, where he scored 171 runs at a strike-rate of over 178. He also picked nine wickets.
Coach Walter praises balanced T20I squad
Head coach Rob Walter is confident of the balanced and experienced 15-man squad picked for the T20I series. He said, "All 15 players are capped, and we're looking to build on the experience within the group as we continue to grow as a unit." Walter also noted George Linde's inclusion as an important addition to the team with his skills as a spinning all-rounder.
South Africa T20I squad for Pakistan series
South Africa T20I squad: Heinrich Klaasen (captain), 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, and Rassie van der Dussen.
