South Africa announce T20I squad for Pakistan series

South Africa has announced that Heinrich Klaasen will lead the team in their upcoming T20I series against Pakistan, as regular captain Aiden Markram is currently busy with the Test series against Sri Lanka. The T20I series will take place from December 10 to December 14.

Alongside Markram, several key players from the South African squad will miss the T20I matches who are part of the Test series against Sri Lanka. Marco Jansen, Keshav Maharaj, Kagiso Rabada, and Tristan Stubbs will all be absent from the T20Is but are expected to feature in the ODI series against Pakistan in early 2025, as part of preparations for the 2025 Champions Trophy.

In a boost for the T20I team, Anrich Nortje and Tabraiz Shamsi will make their return to the side for the first time since the T20 World Cup in June. All-rounder George Linde has also been included, having last played a T20I in July 2021. Linde had an excellent domestic season in the CSA T20 Challenge, scoring 171 runs at a strike rate of 178.12 and taking nine wickets at an average of 18.33, which earned him a recall to the squad.

South Africa's white-ball head coach, Rob Walter, expressed his confidence in the squad, highlighting Klaasen's leadership qualities. “Heinrich is a vastly experienced player with a strong understanding and reading of the game," Walter said. "We look forward to utilising him in this role after his previous experiences in 2021." he said.

Walter also praised the inclusion of Linde, stating, “We have also given George an opportunity again. He really earned his spot off the back of a strong domestic campaign, and his skills as a spinning all-rounder add important balance to the team." he added. 

On the return of Nortje and Shamsi, Walter said, “We’re pleased to have Anrich and Tabraiz back in the squad. Their wealth of experience and skill significantly bolsters our bowling unit, enhancing both our pace and spin departments, which will be key against a strong Pakistan side.”

The South African squad will begin preparations with a two-day camp at the Centre of Excellence in Pretoria from December 6 to December 8. They will then travel to Durban for the first match on December 10, followed by two more matches in Centurion and Johannesburg on December 13 and 14.

South Africa Squad for T20Is against Pakistan:
Heinrich Klaasen (c), 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, Rassie van der Dussen.

Matthew Breetzke, Kwena Maphaka, and Ryan Rickelton will join the squad after completing their Test commitments against Sri Lanka.  
Tabraiz Shamsi's availability for the first T20I may be affected by his ongoing participation in the Global Super League in Guyana.