Stubbs gets maiden call-up, Parnell back in fold

JOHANNESBURG: South Africa on Tuesday handed rookie right-handed batter Tristan Stubbs a maiden call-up, while Wayne Parnell made a comeback after five years for the upcoming five-match T20 tour of India starting June 9.

The 16-member contingent will be led by Temba Bavuma as South Africa makes a return to international T20 cricket for the first time since the ICC T20 World Cup in late 2021.

The 21-year-old Stubbs, who impressed in the past season while playing for the Gbets Warriors in the Cricket South Africa (CSA) T20 Challenge, scored 293 runs in seven innings, at an average of 48.83 and a strike rate of 183.12, including 23 sixes.

He was also part of the South Africa ‘A’ team to Zimbabwe before he was summoned by the Mumbai Indians for the ongoing Indian Premier League.

Among other notable selections is the return of Anrich Nortje, who has been recovering from a hip injury since December last year and batters, Reeza Hendricks and Heinrich Klaasen.

Nortje has been medically cleared for return and is currently playing for the Delhi Capitals in the IPL.

Parnell also makes a comeback to the T20 set up for the first time since South Africa’s tour of England in 2017.

Besides, Keshav Maharaj and number one men’s T20I bowler Tabraiz Shamsi, the rest of the South African team consists of IPL players, namely, Quinton de Kock, Aiden Markram, David Miller, Lungi Ngidi, Dwaine Pretorius, Kagiso Rabada, Rassie van der Dussen and Marco Jansen.

“This is the Proteas like we have not seen them in a long time. The injection of the IPL players means that we will have a team that’s ready to fire on all cylinders immediately and has vast experience of the conditions that we will be playing in,” Cricket South Africa Convenor of Selectors, Victor Mpitsang said in a statement.

“Tristan Stubbs is an exciting prospect and we’re keen to see what he’s made of and we are looking forward to the return of the experience of Reeza (Hendricks), Klaasie (Heinrich Klaasen) and Wayne Parnell to join the likes of Temba (Bavuma), Tabraiz (Shamsi) and Keshav (Maharaj).

“The country can also join us in a collective sigh of relief at the return of Anrich Nortje, who has been working hard to recover from a frustrating injury.”

The five-match T20I series will kick start at New Delhi on June 9, followed by matches in Cuttack (June 12), Visakhapatnam (June 14), Rajkot (June 17) and Bengaluru (June 19).

South Africa T20 team for India tour: Temba Bavuma (C), Quinton de Kock, Reeza Hendricks, Heinrich Klaasen, Keshav Maharaj, Aiden Markram, David Miller, Lungi Ngidi, Anrich Nortje, Wayne Parnell, Dwaine Pretorius, Kagiso Rabada, Tabraiz Shamsi, Tristan Stubbs, Rassie van der Dussen, Marco Jansen.