South Africa T20 Squad for West Indies series announced, Rassie van der Dussen to captain

Cricket South Africa (CSA) has unveiled the 15-member squad for the upcoming three-match T20I series against the West Indies. Middle-order batter Rassie van der Dussen will lead the national team despite not being part of the Proteas squad for the T20 World Cup.

All three T20I matches will be played at Sabina Park, Kingston, in Jamaica. The series opener will be played on May 23, with the final match on May 26. The upcoming series will serve as crucial preparation for both teams for the T20 World Cup 2024, starting on June 1.

Aiden Markram and David Miller Rested from the T20I Series

CSA has opted to rest key batters Aiden Markram and David Miller for the series. This move aims to keep key players fresh for the upcoming ICC event. Rassie van der Dussen will lead the South African team during this Caribbean tour in Markram's absence.

Heinrich Klaasen, Keshav Maharaj, and Marco Jansen are still in India for IPL 2024. Meanwhile, Kagiso Rabada left the tournament early to recover from an injury. Tristan Stubbs is not included in the squad despite his team being eliminated from the IPL 2024.

Gerald Coetzee, Quinton de Kock, and Anrich Nortje have been named in the squad. T20 World Cup squad members such as Ottneil Baartman, Reeza Hendricks, Tabraiz Shamsi, Ryan Rickleton, and Lungi Ngidi have also been selected to face the West Indies.

Head coach Rob Walter commented on Rassie van der Dussen's captaincy appointment. Van der Dussen will bring his wealth of experience and value to the relatively inexperienced team, particularly in T20 cricket.

"Rassie brings a wealth of experience. It is a relatively inexperienced group. He offers huge value given the T20 cricket he has been playing."

South Africa squad for West Indies T20Is: Rassie van der Dussen (c) Ottneil Baartman, Gerald Coetzee, Quinton de Kock, Matthew Breetzke, Bjorn Fortuin, Reeza Hendricks, Patrick Kruger, Wiaan Mulder, Lungi Ngidi, Anrich Nortje, Nqaba Peter, Ryan Rickelton, Andile Phehlukwayo, Tabraiz Shamsi.

After the series in the West Indies, the South African team will not have much time before the World Cup. They are set to participate in an intra-squad match in Florida as part of their preparations for the T20 World Cup.

South Africa To Kick Off World Campaign On June 3

South Africa is placed in Group D alongside Nepal, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, and the Netherlands for the upcoming tournament. The Aiden Markram-led team will kick off their World Cup campaign against Sri Lanka in New York on June 3.

South Africa will face the Netherlands and Bangladesh at the same venue on June 8 and 10, respectively. The Proteas team will play their final group match against Nepal in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines on June 14. 

South Africa Squad for T20 World Cup 2024: Aiden Markram (c), Ottniel Baartman, Gerald Coetzee, Quinton de Kock, Bjorn Fortuin, Reeza Hendricks, Marco Jansen, Heinrich Klaasen, Keshav Maharaj, David Miller, Anrich Nortje, Kagiso Rabada, Ryan Rickelton, Tabraiz Shamsi, Tristan Stubbs.

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