Klaasen to captain Proteas T20 squad to Pakistan
The national cricket selectors have included some newcomers in the squad that will tour Pakistan for the upcoming T20 series, while the Titans' Heinrich Klaasen has been named captain of the team.
The Titans stalwart batsman and wicketkeeper, Heinrich Klaasen, will captain the Proteas’ T20 squad in the three-match series against Pakistan in Lahore from 11-14 February 2021.
Klaasen will lead the national team for the first time.
The strategy forms part of the measures put in place by CSA to ensure that the Test squad, captained by Quinton de Kock, can return to South Africa and satisfy the overseas travel Covid-19 quarantine protocol ahead of that team’s three-match, Test Series against Australia beginning in April.
“The COVID-19 pandemic has compelled sporting bodies to find innovative ways of ensuring tours and sporting events take place as planned or with as little disruption to revised plans as possible. We are not exempt from that, and have had to do a bit of outside-of-the-box thinking to ensure that we are fully prepared for a home Test tour against Australia, while having an exciting T20 series in Pakistan,” said Graeme Smith, CSA Director of Cricket.
Smith added that they are in the final stages of concluding plans for how the coaching and support staff will also be managed for the two tours.
Smith remarked that this is an example of the measures that some cricket nations will have to put in place to ensure that they can squeeze more than one tour in a period of three or four months, while fulfilling Covid-19 protocol obligations.
The T20 squad boasts several new faces as the Proteas continue to rebuild after the losses of numerous players to retirement in recent times. There does not seem to be a better time for the National Selection Panel to look at new options than now, with the 2021 ICC T20 World Cup taking place in India this September.
“We fully support Heinrich Klaasen with the captaincy role. He is not new to leading a team and has done so throughout his career. We know he is more than up for the challenge and will represent South Africa well in Pakistan,” said Victor Mpitsang, CSA Convenor of Selectors.
Klaasen will be joined by 6 of his Titans teammates on the tour. The other local players in the team are Okuhle Cele, Junior Dala and Tabraiz Shamsi.
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