Heinrich Klaasen will captain the Proteas’ T20 squad in the three-matchseries against Pakistan in Lahore from 11-14 February 2021. He will leadthe national team for the first time.
The strategy forms part of the measures put in place by CSA to ensure thatthe Test squad, captained by Quinton de Kock, can return to South Africaand satisfy the overseas travel COVID-19 quarantine protocol ahead of thatteam’s three-match, Betay Test Series against Australia.
CSA Director of Cricket, Graeme Smith said:
The COVID-19 pandemic has compelled sporting bodies to find innovative waysof ensuring tours and sporting events take place as planned or with aslittle disruption to revised plans as possible. We are not exempt from thatand have had to do a bit of outside-of-the-box thinking to ensure that weare fully prepared for a home Test tour against Australia, while having anexciting T20 series to compete in, in Pakistan.
It’s an example of the measures that some cricket nations will have to putin place to ensure that they can squeeze more than one tour in a period ofthree or four months, while fulfilling COVID-19 protocol obligations.
“The circumstances we find ourselves in allow the National Selection Panelto cast a wide net and give some of the young and exciting talent that hasbeen in their sights the opportunity of a lifetime in a T20 World Cupyear,” he added.
The T20 squad boasts several new faces as the Proteas continue to rebuildafter the losses of numerous players to retirement in recent times. Theredoes not seem to be a better time for the National Selection Panel to lookat new options than now, with the 2021 ICC T20 World Cup taking place inIndia this September.
Okuhle Cele, Ryan Rickleton and Jacques Snyman receive their maidennational team call-ups, while Glenton Stuurman will return to the nationalteam after a left quadriceps muscle strain saw him released from the Testsquad ahead of the start of the second match against Sri Lanka andJohannesburg.
Dwaine Pretorius, Tabraiz Shamsi, Lutho Sipamla and George Linde from theTest squad have also been included for the T20 fixtures. They, along withAndile Phehlukwayo, Reeza Hendricks and Jon-Jon Smuts, will offer therequired experience that the predominantly youthful squad will require toexcel in the Lahore.
Travel details for the T20 squad will be released in due course.
Proteas T20 Squad to Pakistan is as follows:
Heinrich Klaasen (captain), Nandre Burger, Okuhle Cele, Junior Dala, BjornFortuin, Reeza Hendricks, George Linde, Janneman Malan, David Miller,Andile Phehlukwayo, Dwaine Pretorius, Ryan Rickleton, Tabraiz Shamsi, LuthoSipamla, Jon-Jon Smuts, Pite van Biljon, Glenton Stuurman, Jacques Snyman.
Pakistan T20 Series vs South Africa Itinerary
– 11 February – 1st T20I, Lahore – 13 February – 2nd T20I, Lahore – 14 February – 3rd T20I, Lahore