They have won only nine games since the previous edition.
The T20 World Cup 2026 is less than two months away and the runners-up of the previous edition, South Africa, are struggling for form. They have some time still left to sort out their issues for the tournament to be played in India and Sri Lanka in February-March.
The Proteas were a force in the 2024 edition, where they won eight matches on the trot before going down against India in the final in a heart-wrenching manner. However, since then, they have lost 19 out of 26 T20Is. This form is a major concern for them heading into the T20 World Cup 2026.
South Africa’s preparation for the upcoming ICC tournament has been far from ideal. Perhaps there has been a lack of seriousness as they have hardly played with their first-choice line-up in the past 15 months. It has affected their batting order significantly.
To emphasise their issues, the Proteas have tried six different batters at the top of the order in this period. Reeza Hendricks has played the most (18) games, followed by Ryan Rickelton (15). Neither of the six players has an average of 30. Rickelton, Lhuan-dre Pretorius, and Rassie van der Dussen are not part of the squad in the ongoing series against India.
The current pair, Aiden Markram and Quinton de Kock, have played seven and five games at the top, respectively. Markram averages 17 while de Kock has scored 31 runs from five innings since his return.
Moving on to the No.3 spot, the situation is even worse as eight different players have batted here. Markram and Pretorius have played the most (six) innings at this number, albeit to no success. Tristan Stubbs came at one down in the most recent fixture, followed by Dewald Brevis, David Miller, and Donovan Ferreira.
Apart from Brevis, the middle order has also lacked stability and any semblance of form. Miller, featuring in only six of the 26 games, hasn’t helped their cause. Heinrich Klaasen is retiring. Both finishers, Miller and Ferreira, have had terrible numbers in this period.
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The Proteas have the resources to get out of this rough patch. They boast a middle order with Stubbs, Brevis, Miller, and Ferreira, who combined have the power and skill set to take on spinners and pacers. They just have to play enough games together in the lead-up.
The first choice bowling attack of Kagiso Rabada, Marco Jansen, Corbin Bosch, Lungi Ngidi, with either Keshav Maharaj or George Linde, looks quite potent. With Jansen, Linde, and Bosch at No.7-9, they can have a great batting depth, perhaps best among all teams.
South Africa’s biggest area of concern is their opening pair. Markram, being the captain, has a fixed spot, and opening is his best position. He was excellent in the IPL in these conditions earlier this year, averaging 33 and striking at 145. For the second spot, they are too close to experiment any more and have to stick with one, whether it’s de Kock or Rickelton or Hendricks.
On paper, South Africa have a pretty exciting side for the T20 World Cup with multiple high-potential players. If they start clicking together, they will most likely be one of the strongest contenders in the tournament.
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