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PROTEAS CALL UP RICKELTON AND BAARTMAN FOR ICC T20 WORLD CUP
MI Cape Town’s prolific opening batter Ryan Rickelton and Sunrisers Eastern Cape seamer Ottniel Baartman have been rewarded for their excellent form in Betway SA20 Season 2 with call-ups to the Proteas 15-man squad for the ICC T20 World Cup in the Caribbean and United States of America.
Rickelton was the leading run-scorer with 530 runs at average of 53, while Baartman is the leading wicket-taker in the competition over the past two seasons after claiming a further 18 scalps with an economy of 6.95 in Season 2.
"I want to congratulate all the players that have made the cut," Proteas Men's white-ball coach Rob Walter said.
"Selecting this group was extremely tough considering the amount of T20 cricket that has been played recently and the form that has been on show. I want to congratulate the two uncapped players, Ryan and Ottniel, on their selection.
Rickelton has since continued his good form with a further 441 runs in the recently-concluded Cricket SA T20 Challenge where his runs powered the Lions to the title.
Rickelton’s Lions teammate and Joburg Super Kings top-order batter Reeza Hendricks was also included in the 15-man squad after he finished the CSA T20 Challenge with 440 runs.
Aiden Markram, who has led the Sunrisers Eastern Cape to back-to-back Betway SA20 titles, has been handed the responsibility of leading the Proteas to the ICC T20 World Cup for the first time.
He will be joined by Betway SA20 MVP Heinrich Klaasen along with Sunrisers Eastern Cape’s leading run-scorer in Season 2 Tristan Stubbs, who has continued his good form in the Indian Premier League with Delhi Capitals.
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Royals duo Tabraiz Shamsi and Bjorn Fortuin have been handed the spin responsibilities along with DSG captain Keshav Maharaj, who is also currently enjoying a maiden IPL stint with the Rajasthan Royals.
The seam department will be led by MI Cape Town spearhead Kagiso Rabada, while Pretoria Capitals express Anrich Nortje, who missed the entire Betway SA20 Season 2 through injury, makes a welcome return to the Proteas squad.
Young tearaways Marco Jansen (Sunrisers Eastern Cape) and Gerald Coetzee (Joburg Super Kings) complete the fast bowling arsenal.
"We have seen some incredible performances from our players in 2024 and that made my job very tough indeed,” Walter said.
“I am nonetheless proud and confident that we have named the strongest possible squad that no doubt has every chance of success in the West Indies and USA.”
