Heinrich Klaasen will captain the Proteas’ T20 squad in the three-match series against Pakistan in Lahore from 11-14 February 2021. He will lead the national team for the first time.
The strategy forms part of the measures put in place by CSA to ensure that the Test squad, captained by Quinton de Kock, can return to South Africa and satisfy the overseas travel COVID-19 quarantine protocol ahead of that team’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 ways of ensuring tours and sporting events take place as planned or with as little disruption to revised plans as possible. We are not exempt from that and have had to do a bit of outside-of-the-box thinking to ensure that we are fully prepared for a home Test tour against Australia, while having an exciting T20 series to compete in, in Pakistan.
It’s an example of the measures that some cricket nations will have to put in place to ensure that they can squeeze more than one tour in a period of three or four months, while fulfilling COVID-19 protocol obligations.
“The circumstances we find ourselves in allow the National Selection Panel to cast a wide net and give some of the young and exciting talent that has been in their sights the opportunity of a lifetime in a T20 World Cup year,” he added.
The T20 squad boasts several new faces as the Proteas continue to rebuild after the losses of numerous players to retirement in recent times. There does not seem to be a better time for the National Selection Panel to look at new options than now, with the 2021 ICC T20 World Cup taking place in India this September.
Okuhle Cele, Ryan Rickleton and Jacques Snyman receive their maiden national team call-ups, while Glenton Stuurman will return to the national team after a left quadriceps muscle strain saw him released from the Test squad ahead of the start of the second match against Sri Lanka and Johannesburg.
Dwaine Pretorius, Tabraiz Shamsi, Lutho Sipamla and George Linde from the Test squad have also been included for the T20 fixtures. They, along with Andile Phehlukwayo, Reeza Hendricks and Jon-Jon Smuts, will offer the required experience that the predominantly youthful squad will require to excel 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, Bjorn Fortuin, Reeza Hendricks, George Linde, Janneman Malan, David Miller, Andile Phehlukwayo, Dwaine Pretorius, Ryan Rickleton, Tabraiz Shamsi, Lutho Sipamla, 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