Cricket South Africa unveiled the 15-member squad on Tuesday that will be representing the nation in the forthcoming ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023. The event is set to be hosted in India, from October 5 to November 19.
Surprisingly, CSA’s choice not to include young stars Dewald Brevis and Tristan Stubbs in the roster has caused quite a debate about their selection approach. Although Brevis made his T20I debut against Australia lately, he struggled to repeat his domestic success on the International scene. On the other hand, Tristan Stubbs has shown promise in T20Is but hasn’t had much experience with ODIs, which adds difficulty to the selection decision.
However, there is a glimpse of hope for Dewald Brevis. The ICC allows roster changes until September 28, providing him a chance to display his skills in the forthcoming five-match ODI series against Australia. Similarly, Tristan Stubbs might exploit his good T20I performances to gain a berth if he continues to impress the selectors in future matches.
Temba Bavuma is set to make his debut as the captain of the team in the upcoming 50-over World Cup, and he’s among eight players who will be making their first-ever appearances in the World Cup squad.
Experienced batters like Quinton de Kock, Reeza Hendricks, Heinrich Klaasen, Aiden Markram, David Miller, and Rassie van der Dussen will spearhead the batting lineup, while the squad is bolstered by all-rounders Marco Jansen and Sisanda Magala.
Moving to the bowling section, Sisanda Magala managed to secure his berth despite recent injuries. Alongside well-established bowlers like Kagiso Rabada, Anrich Nortje, and Lungi Ngidi, CSA has also chosen to include Gerald Coetzee. This young speedster has a great track record in List A matches and is ready to step up his game at this level.
Since the tournament is being held in India, spinners are predicted to have a huge impact owing to the ideal subcontinental conditions. Within the squad, they have a minimum of three spin options available: Keshav Maharaj, Tabraiz Shamsi, and Aiden Markram.
Commenting on the squad selection, Walter said: “It is always tough choosing a World Cup squad and I’ve said it a couple of times, the stronger the depth of your team, the better the players are that you’re leaving out.
“It’s great having a mix of experienced players and players who will be competing in their first 50-over World Cup – you get that sort of exuberance of excitement to be doing something for the first time.”
South Africa is set to commence their World Cup journey in Delhi’s Arun Jaitley Stadium on October 7, where they’ll face Sri Lanka. Ahead of this pivotal match, they’ve lined up warm-up fixtures against Afghanistan on September 29 and New Zealand on October 2.
South Africa World Cup 2023 squad:
Temba Bavuma (c), Gerald Coetzee, Quinton de Kock (wk), Reeza Hendricks, Marco Jansen, Heinrich Klaasen, Sisanda Magala, Keshav Maharaj, Aiden Markram, David Miller, Lungi Ngidi, Anrich Nortje, Tabraiz Shamsi, Kagiso Rabada and Rassie van der Dussen.
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