Ryan Rickelton, Tristan Stubbs Added To South Africa’s T20 World Cup 2026 Squad After Mass Injuries

South Africa had revised their T20 World Cup squad after multiple injury concerns ruled out several players.

After weeks of uncertainty, Ryan Rickelton will travel to the T20 World Cup in Sri Lanka and India next month. Tristan Stubbs will also be part of the squad. However, Tony de Zorzi and Donovan Ferreira, who were originally selected, will miss out. At this stage, Ottneil Baartman has also been left out.

Cricket South Africa (CSA) confirmed the changes on Thursday, clarifying that the revisions were not influenced by performances in the SA20 league. Instead, injuries forced the selectors’ hand, and more fitness concerns may yet follow.

David Miller is unlikely to feature for Paarl Royals in Thursday’s SA20 eliminator against Joburg Super Kings in Centurion. The senior batter suffered a groin injury while playing against Joburg in Paarl on Monday. Lungi Ngidi also raised alarms after bowling only half of his overs for Pretoria Capitals in the first qualifier against Sunrisers Eastern Cape at Kingsmead on Wednesday, leaving the field with a heavily strapped leg.

Dewald Brevis, meanwhile, struck an unbeaten 75 off 38 balls to take Pretoria into Sunday’s final at Newlands, but injured a finger during the knock. Miller, Ngidi and Brevis are all part of South Africa’s T20 World Cup squad.

It is understood that Ngidi should recover in time for the World Cup. If that happens, Baartman, the leading wicket-taker of the SA20 with 17 wickets, 10 more than Ngidi, and with an economy rate only 0.29 higher — is likely to remain on the sidelines.

Brevis is also expected to be fit. The bigger concern surrounds Miller, whose age and recurring groin issues have become a serious worry. Cricbuzz has learnt that Paarl Royals have called up two replacement players for Thursday’s match, suggesting Miller’s injury could be significant.

Rickelton, Stubbs Earn Place

Rickelton has also been named in the squad announced on Thursday for South Africa’s three-match T20I series against West Indies next week. Miller, however, was not included. A CSA release said his “availability for the T20 World Cup remains subject to the outcome of a fitness test ahead of the support period”.

Miller’s uncertain fitness has opened the door for Rubin Hermann, who has been rewarded after scoring 205 runs in eight innings for Sunrisers Eastern Cape.

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Rickelton’s initial omission from South Africa’s World Cup squad, which CSA announced early on January 2, 29 days before the deadline, caused widespread criticism. He had scored 113 off 63 balls for MI Cape Town against Durban’s Super Giants at Newlands just eight days before the announcement, and followed it with an unbeaten 113 off 60 against Joburg at the Wanderers eight days later.

Despite those performances, Rickelton was left out, while De Zorzi was selected even though he had not played since December 3, when he injured his hamstring during an ODI against India in Raipur.

South Africa T20 World Cup squad

Aiden Markram (captain), Corbin Bosch, Dewald Brevis, Quinton de Kock, Marco Jansen, George Linde, Keshav Maharaj, Kwena Maphaka, David Miller, Lungi Ngidi, Anrich Nortje, Kagiso Rabada, Ryan Rickelton, Jason Smith, Tristan Stubbs