He is one of the notable absentees in the Proteas T20 World Cup 2026 squad.
Last edition’s runners-up, South Africa, have recently declared their squad for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026. But the star wicketkeeper-batter Ryan Rickelton has failed to make it to the 15-member team.
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The 29-year-old’s persistent rough patch of form in the international fixtures finalised his omission from the squad for the mega 20-over event. Though he had showcased some brilliant knocks in franchise cricket, Rickelton could not deliver a similar performance while donning the Proteas jersey, especially in the shortest format of the game.
He last featured in a T20I series in September 2025 in England, returning with a duck and a 20 (10) in two matches. Moreover, Rickelton managed just 381 runs in his 18 appearances in the format, averaging a poor 21.16. Since then, the management has tried opening the innings with Quinton de Kock and Reeza Hendricks in the latest tours of Pakistan and India, respectively.
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Despite kickstarting the Pakistan series with a fiery 60, Hendricks has not been able to manage consistency in recent times. He has accumulated only 55 runs in the subsequent five fixtures, including two ducks and a single-digit score. Following these underwhelming stats, the right-hander has been excluded from South Africa’s squad for the upcoming T20 World Cup 2026.
This suggests that the side may opt for the opening combination of skipper Aiden Markram alongside de Kock, who has been continuing a great run since overturning his retirement decision. Though Markram managed just 14 runs in the T20I series opener facing India, the batter’s best has come at the top.
The 31-year-old’s strike rate recorded a noteworthy increase in his limited 13-match appearances in the position. The usual middle-order batter maintains a strike rate of 128.60 and 146.72 while coming in at No.4 and No.5, respectively. But while opening the innings in the T20Is, he has contributed 319 runs, striking at a fierce rate of 168.78.
Aiden Markram (C), Corbin Bosch, Dewald Brevis, Quinton de Kock, Tony de Zorzi, Donovan Ferreira, Marco Jansen, George Linde, Keshav Maharaj, Kwena Maphaka, David Miller, Lungi Ngidi, Anrich Nortje, Kagiso Rabada, and Jason Smith.
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