South Africa's white-ball head coach, Rob Walter, has announced a 15-member squad for the upcoming three-match T20I series against Pakistan, scheduled to take place from December 10 to 14. Heinrich Klaasen will take charge and captain the T20I team for the series. This is because of regular skipper Aiden Markram's unavailability due to his involvement …
Heinrich Klaasen to captain South Africa for T20I series vs Pakistan
South Africa’s white-ball head coach, Rob Walter, has announced a 15-member squad for the upcoming three-match T20I series against Pakistan, scheduled to take place from December 10 to 14. Heinrich Klaasen will take charge and captain the T20I team for the series. This is because of regular skipper Aiden Markram’s unavailability due to his involvement in the ongoing Test series against Sri Lanka. The squad sees the absence of several all-format players, including Marco Jansen, Keshav Maharaj, Kagiso Rabada, and Tristan Stubbs, who are being rested to manage workloads.
This strategic decision comes as a result of the short turnaround between the Test series against Sri Lanka and the limited-overs contests against Pakistan. These players will return for the subsequent ODI series. The 50-over format series will serve as an essential preparation phase for the ICC Champions Trophy 2025.
The T20I series provides an opportunity for Klaasen, who has been in scintillating form in white-ball cricket recently, to showcase his leadership skills.
Heinrich Klaasen dons captaincy hat
His appointment showcased South Africa’s commitment to manage player fatigue while continuing to focus on team development and building momentum across formats.
The absence of some key players also opens the door for emerging talent and fringe players to make their mark on the international stage. With Pakistan known for their prowess in the shortest format, the series promises to be a challenging yet exciting opportunity for South Africa to test its depth in the T20 setup.
The three matches will act as a platform to assess the team’s T20I form as they prepare for upcoming global events. South Africa will be aiming to make a comeback after suffering a 1-3 loss in the T20I series vs India last month on their home soil.
Meanwhile, Pakistan also announced their squad for the all-format tour to South Africa.
South Africa 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.
