No Proteas for T20 Challenge

NONE of the Proteas players, those who are in the country following the recent tour to Sri Lanka, will partake in the T20 Knockout Challenge, which starts at the end of the week.

The logistical challenges created by that tournament’s scheduling and the bio bubble demands for the T20 World Cup, have put Cricket South Africa (CSA) and the Proteas management in a bind. Instead of playing the new T20 Knockout competition, which starts on Friday, the 11 players - including the three in the reserve unit - will rest until the end of the week, and then go into a training camp in Durban.

They will depart for the UAE on October 2, serve a strict six-day quarantine there and once cleared can start training ahead of the World Cup.

Seven South African players, who are in the World Cup squad, are currently in the UAE, contracted to teams in the Indian Premier League.

“The recommendation was given to us that the players needed a break, and we agreed,” said CSA’s selection convenor Victor Mpitsang.

It means that for the likes of Andile Phehlukwayo and Lizaad Williams, who both are among the reserves and last started a T20 International in July, would not have played for three months by the time of South Africa’s opening match in the World Cup against Australia on October 23. In Phehlukwayo’s case he at least has game time in the One-Day side to fall back on, which Williams doesn’t.

Initially when the T20 Knockout was announced it was hoped that players not contracted to the IPL would get in some match time ahead of the World Cup.

However, the T20 KO is taking place over three separate weeks, with teams in four pools.