On Sunday (17th March), the Cricket South Africa (CSA) announced the squad for the upcoming home T20I series against Sri Lanka.
Currently, the Sri Lanka national cricket team is touring in South Africa. After the completion of Test and ODI bilateral series, both sides are now preparing for the three-match T20I series. The CSA has announced two different T20I squads for the upcoming home T20I series.
As they have no ODI match left before the upcoming World Cup, South Africa is focusing the upcoming first T20I as their World Cup preparation. Most of the regular ODI players are in the first T20I squad.
However, Hashim Amla will miss the entire T20I series due to his father’s illness. Earlier, he missed the entire five-match home ODI series against Sri Lanka. Though the selectors added him for the last two ODIs, soon, he took compassionate leave due to his father’s illness.
CSA National Selection Panel convener Linda Zondi said, “The first match forms part of our vision 2019 to continue exploring our options for the ICC Men’s World Cup. The squad for that match consists largely of the squads that have been doing duty in the ODI Series against Pakistan and Sri Lanka. We would have liked to include Hashim Amla but, unfortunately, he remains unavailable because of his family situation.”
Faf du Plessis will lead the South African side in the first T20I at Cape Town on 19th March. Meanwhile, JP Duminy will lead the team in the next two matches at Centurion (22nd March) and Johannesburg (24th March).
Three T20I uncapped players have earned opportunities
The selectors have named three T20I uncapped players for the upcoming T20I series, Aiden Markram, Anrich Nortje and Sinethemba Qeshile. Opener Aiden Markram and the pacer Anrich Nortje both are in the squad of entire T20I series.
Meanwhile, the international uncapped Sinethemba Qeshile is in the last two-match T20I squad. The 20-year-old cricketer is an in-form wicketkeeper-batsman.
South African squad for the first T20I against Sri Lanka: Faf du Plessis (Captain), Quinton de Kock, JP Duminy, Reeza Hendricks, Imran Tahir, Aiden Markram, David Miller, Lungi Ngidi, Anrich Nortje, Andile Phehlukwayo, Dwaine Pretorius, Kagiso Rabada, Tabraiz Shamsi, Dale Steyn, Rassie van der Dussen.
South African squad for the second and third T20I against Sri Lanka: JP Duminy (Captain), Reeza Hendricks, Aiden Markram, David Miller, Chris Morris, Anrich Nortje, Andile Phehlukwayo, Dwaine Pretorius, Sinethemba Qeshile, Tabraiz Shams, Lutho Sipamla, Dale Steyn, Rassie van der Dussen.
The full T20I schedule of Sri Lanka tour of South Africa 2018/19
(Three-match T20I series)
19th March: First T20I (D/N) – Newlands Cricket Ground (Cape Town)
22nd March: Second T20I (D/N) – SuperSport Park (Centurion)
24th March: Third T20I (D) – Wanderers Stadium (Johannesburg)