South Africa have announced their 15-man squad for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 to be held in India and Sri Lanka in February-March.
Pacer Kagiso Rabada, who returns from a rib injury after nearly ten weeks, will lead the South African attack.
Rabada made his comeback for MI Cape Town (MICT) on New Year’s Eve, taking 2 for 48 in the SA20 and completing a formidable pace battery alongside Unrich Nordje, Marco Johnson, Corbin Bosh, Lungi Nkiti and Gwena Mabaga.
Seven players in the squad made their T20 World Cup debuts: Kwena Mabaga, Corbin Bosch, Devald Previs, Tony De Sorgi, Jason Smith, George Linde and Donovan Ferreira.
The team will be led by regular T20 captain Aiden Markram. Only seven players have retained their places in the 2024 T20 World Cup finals squad.
David Miller, Keshav Maharaj, Marco Johnson and Henrich Nordje returned to Quinton de Kock as part of the XI that lost to India in Barbados in June 2024 after making their debuts in October.
Among the notable absentees, Heinrich Klaasen retired from international cricket, while Reza Hendricks, Ryan Rickeldon, Tristan Stubbs, Odneil Bartman, Gerald Coetzee, Bjorn Fortuin and Tabriz Shamsi all dropped out.
Most of these players are currently involved in T20 franchise leagues: Top Seven in SA20 and Shamsi in ILT20 and BBL.
“We’ve had to make some big calls but we feel this squad is very strong and has every chance of winning in India and Sri Lanka,” selector Patrick Moroney said in a statement.
“We have assembled a world-class squad with some of the best and most experienced players in the game, along with some of the best T20 youngsters,” he added.
One of the talking points is Tony De Sorji, who returned from a hamstring injury sustained during the ODI against India in Raipur a month ago.
He is considered best suited to the sub-continent’s conditions and is part of Durban’s Supergiants (DSG) in the SA20, although he is yet to feature in a match.
Another surprise inclusion is Jason Smith, who has just five international caps. Smith has recently impressed as a finisher, scoring an unbeaten 68 off 19 balls to take the Dolphins into the CSAT20 playoffs, and a 14-ball 41 for MICT against DSG in the SA20 opener.
Smith also offers a seam-bowling option, although he has not bowled since October due to a nick; MICT coach Robin Pietersen confirmed his return to bowling after the match.
In the spin department, South Africa have retained Keshav Maharaj and George Linde as left-arm spinners, while wicket-keepers Markram and Ferreira provide off-spin options.
Left-arm wrist-spinner Tabriz Shamsi’s international career is not in the central deal after recently winning a legal battle for a no-holds-barred certificate.
This T20 World Cup will be the first white-ball tournament under all-forms coach Sukri Conrad, who took charge of the limited-overs teams in July last year.
Ashwell Prince (batting coach), Pete Botha (bowling coach), and Kruger van Wyk (fielding coach) Conrad’s support staff-Albie Morkel will be strengthened as a specialist T20 consultant.
Morkel is also part of the Joburg Super Kings management team in SA20.
South Africa’s players will be involved in the SA20 for most of January before traveling to the West Indies for three T20Is.
Their World Cup campaign begins on February 9 against Canada, with group-stage matches against Afghanistan, New Zealand and the United Arab Emirates also scheduled.
South Africa T20 World Cup Squad 2026:
Aidan Markram (c), Quinton de Kock (wk), David Miller, Keshav Maharaj, Marco Johnson, Henrich Nordje, Lungi Ngiti, Kagiso Rabada, Devald Previs, Tony De Georgie, Jason Smith, Corbin Bosh, Kwena Mabaga, George Linde and Donovan Ferre and Donovan.