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5 BETWAY SA20 PLAYERS TO WATCH IN PROTEAS VS PAKISTAN T20I SERIES
The Proteas are beginning their preparation for next year’s T20 World Cup in earnest with a three-match series against Pakistan commencing on Tuesday in Rawalpindi.
A host of Betway SA20 stars will be eager to show off their skills in a bid to be on the plane next year to India.
We select five players to keep a close watch on over the next week.
Quinton de Kock (Sunrisers Eastern Cape)
The veteran endured an inauspicious return to international cricket in the once-off T20I against Namibia earlier this month. The Pakistan series will though be De Kock’s full reintegration into the national coach, and his first assignment with coach Shukri Conrad since the start of Conrad’s tenure back in 2023. All eyes will be on De Kock to see whether he still has both the hunger and form to be a regular fixture in the national team moving forward.
View De Kock's Betway SA20 player profile and stats
Lhuan-dre Pretorius (Paarl Royals)
The heir to De Kock’s throne both behind and in front of the stumps now faces a head-on challenge with his childhood hero. The Betway SA20 Season 3 Rising Star has had a quiet start to his T20I career and will be hoping for an opportunity to showcase his immense potential and hopefully return to the free-flowing run-scorer that topped the Season 3 leaderboard.
George Linde (MI Cape Town)
The allrounder was an integral part of MI Cape Town’s Betway SA20 Season 3 title-winning campaign and will be eager to transfer that form to the international stage. Proteas coach Shukri Conrad has expressed his desire for his spinners to play a role with the bat, and Linde will now have an opportunity to show that he can be employed in the ‘finisher’ role in conditions similar to what will be experienced at next year’s T20 World Cup.
View Linde's Betway SA20 profile and stats
Donovan Ferreira (Joburg Super Kings)
'The Don' has been handed the captain’s armband in the absence of injured Paarl Royals skipper David Miller. But it's not just the leadership role he will fulfil, but he will also be hoping that he can step into Miller’s shoes on a long-term basis in the middle of the Proteas batting line-up.
View Ferreira's Betway SA20 profile and stats
Kwena Maphaka (Durban’s Super Giants)
The teenage fast bowler enjoyed a breakout T20I series on the Australian tour recently where he topped the wicket-takers' table across both teams. Unfortunately, injury struck him down in a recent domestic game for the Lions which curtailed his momentum, and hopefully he can hit the ground running to stay in contention for a spot to next year’s T20 World Cup in India.
