Rabada returns, Stubbs surprisingly dropped as South Africa name world T20 squad

South Africa, the runners up of the last edition of the T20 world cup, have announced their squad for this edition of the World T20. While Kagiso Rabada returns to the squad, the exclusion of Tristian Stubbs has really come as a surprise considering how good a player he has been over the years, also considering his stats in T20s.

In a notable selection call, Cricket South Africa handed a maiden World Cup opportunity to middle-order batter Jason Smith. The 31-year-old smashed 68 off 19 balls to steer the Dolphins into the playoffs of the domestic T20 challenge late last year. With Stubbs’ exclusion and Smith’s inclusion, the Proteas have made a strong statement about the future in the shortest format.

From the squad that toured India recently, fast bowlers Ottneil Baartman and Lutho Sipamla have been left out, along with top-order batter Reeza Hendricks. The return of Rabada bolsters South Africa's pace arsenal, which also features Lungi Ngidi, Anrich Nortje, Marco Jansen and Corbin Bosch. The experienced batch of Quinton De Kock, Aiden Markram, Donnovan Ferrieda and Dewald Brewis retained their place.

“We have had to make some big calls, but we feel this group is the strongest and has every chance of succeeding in India and Sri Lanka. We have assembled a world-class squad with some of the finest and most experienced players in the game, together with some of the best T20 youngsters coming through," Convenor Selector for the Proteas Men Patrick Moroney said.

"We are returning to the subcontinent, where we recently competed against hosts India. The experience we gained playing in those conditions will undoubtedly benefit us as we head into this tournament," head coach Shukri Conrad said.

South Africa open their world cup campaign against Canada before they take on New Zealand and Afghanistan, with all their games taking place in Ahmedabad before their last league game in Delhi. They fell agonisingly short last year, but this time, they are a force to reckon with.

South Africa squad:

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