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Sunday Dec 15, 2024
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Temba Bavuma will lead South Africa in both white ball series against Sri Lanka – ODIs and T20Is
South Africa will send a weakened squad into their men’s ODI series in Sri Lanka next month, which could complicate their attempts to book a place in the 2023 World Cup.
But they will be back to full strength for the T20I rubber on the Asian island – their last engagement before the World Cup in that format in the UAE and Oman in October and November.
Quinton de Kock has been rested for the ODIs, which David Miller will miss with a hamstring injury. Lungi Ngidi is also out because of what CSA described in a release yesterday as “personal reasons”. Bjorn Fortuin has been omitted from the group that were in Ireland last month. De Kock, Miller, Ngidi and Fortuin will return for the T20Is in Sri Lanka.
Junior Dala is the only new face in the ODI squad. Sisanda Magala, who limped home from the ODI series in the Caribbean in June with an ankle injury, is also in the T20I mix. Dwaine Pretorius has been named in both squads after recovering from COVID-19, which prevented him from visiting West Indies and Ireland.
Despite the presence of all of their stars in the ODIs against the Irish, South Africa lost one of the three games. Another was washed out. That left Temba Bavuma’s team in 10th place in the World Cup Super League standings.
The top seven sides in March 2023 will earn places at that year’s World Cup, along with hosts India. Another two teams will come through a qualifying tournament. There’s a long way to go yet before the World Cup line-up is finalised but South Africa won’t want to leave points on the table.
They have had a largely successful few months, winning nine of the dozen matches they played across the formats in the Caribbean and Ireland. But their supporters will look for signs in Sri Lanka that they have returned to their hallmarks of quality fast bowling, dependable batting and aggressive fielding – which were not always apparent during their last two tours.
South Africa will play three ODIs on 2, 4 and 7 September and three T20Is on 10, 12 and 14 September. All six matches will take place at the R. Premadasa Stadium.
South Africa squads
