T20 World Cup 2026: Seven Players From Last Edition Dropped As South Africa Announce 15-Member Squad

Hyderabad: South Africa have announced a 15-member squad for the T20 World Cup 2026 starting in February this year, and Aiden Markram will continue leading the side. Markram will captain the team for the second successive edition, but the squad includes two surprising omissions in the form of opener Ryan Rickelton and lower-order batter Tristan Stubbs. Notably, South Africa have focused on young talents as seven players are set to make their T20 World Cup debut.

Seven players from the last edition dropped

Seven players from South Africa’s run to the final of the T20 World Cup 2024 are missing in the current lineup. Heinrich Klaasen has retired from international cricket. Pacer Gerald Coetzee and former world No.1 T20I bowler Tabraiz Shamsi are omitted for the upcoming edition. Ottniel Baartman and Reeza Hendericks, who were in the squad last edition, will not feature this time around. Also, seven players to get World Cup debut are Kwena Maphaka, Corbin Bosch, Dewald Brevis, Tony de Zorzi and Jason Smith, along with all-rounders Linde and Ferreira.

However, the most notable exclusions are of Tristan Stubbs and Ryan Rickelton. Stubbs was part of the T20I series against India last month, amassing just 23 runs from two matches. Further, he managed to gather only 152 runs from seven T20I innings in 2025 with a strike rate of 121.6. His form resulted in him being dropped from the World Cup squad.

Rickelton racked up 118 runs from five T20I innings in 2025 with a strike rate of 132.58. However, Quinton de Kock returned from retirement and was the second-highest run-getter in the T20I series against India last month, scoring 156 runs from four innings, including two half-centuries. His performance was rewarded with a spot on the World Cup squad.

Rabada returns after two months

Right-arm pacer Kagiso Rabada has returned back to the side after staying away for two months due to a rib injury. Rabada is currently playing in the SA20 for MI Cape Town and will spearhead a formidable pace attack that includes Anrich Nortje, Marco Jansen, Lungi Ngidi, Corbin Bosch and teenage left-armer Kwena Maphaka.

South Africa in Group D

South Africa are placed in Group D along with Afghanistan, New Zealand, Canada and the United Arab Emirates. They will kick off their campaign in the T20 World Cup 2026 against Canada on February 9 in Ahmedabad.

South Africa squad

Aiden Markram (c), George Linde, Dewald Brevis, Quinton de Kock (wk), Kagiso Rabada, Tony de Zorzi, Donovan Ferreira, Marco Jansen, Jason Smith, Keshav Maharaj, Corbin Bosch,Kwena Maphaka, David Miller, Lungi Ngidi, Anrich Nortje,