Who are the five uncapped players named in South Africa's squad for New Zealand T20Is?

South Africa have named a largely second-string side for a five-T20I series against New Zealand, starting March 15. Only three players from the T20 World Cup squad have been picked: Keshav Maharaj, George Linde and Jason Smith.

Tony de Zorzi, who missed the ICC event due to a hamstring injury, has been picked, while Ottneil Baartman and Gerald Coetzee also return after World Cup snubs. Five uncapped players have been selected; Connor Esterhuizen, Dian Forrester, Jordan Hermann, Eathan Bosch and Nqobani Mokoena.

The T20 regulars will return home after the World Cup, and with only a day between the conclusion of the New Zealand series and the start of the IPL, they have been rested. The series begins on March 15 and will run until March 25.

Who are the five uncapped players named in South Africa's squad for New Zealand T20Is?

Nqobani Mokoena

The 19-year-old quick from Durban has been picked on the back of a brilliant SA20 season. Playing for Paarl Royals in his maiden campaign and often bowling at the death, Mokoena picked up 13 wickets in 10 matches with a strike-rate of 14.7 to finish as the fourth-highest wicket-taker. His best of 4-34 came against the Sunrises Eastern Cape in Gqeberha, where he dismissed both Quinton de Kock and Tristan Stubbs.

Connor Esterhuizen

The top-order batter has been rewarded for his consistent showings in South Africa’s domestic T20 tournament, where he scored 85 runs in three matches at a strike-rate of 177.08 in the 2025 season and 199 runs in nine games at a strike-rate of 139-16 in 2024. Though he didn’t have the greatest SA20, he is currently in good form, having made a 58-ball 101 in the CSA 4-Day Series earlier this month.

Dian Forrester

Forrester enjoyed a solid SA20 season for the Joburg Super Kings. Tasked with finishing the innings, the batting all-rounder scored 175 runs in the season at a strike-rate of 165.09. His best knock came in the league match against MI Capitals, where he slammed a 42-ball 80, albeit in a losing cause. Forrester also has a recent first-class hundred under his belt, having hit 123 in the CSA 4-Day Series.

Jordan Hermann

Brother of wicketkeeper Rubin Hermann, who is also in the team, Jordan has been in prime form recently, having hit scores of 94 and 110 in two first-class games in February, the latter coming in the CSA Four-Day Series final. He was also the eighth-highest run-scorer in the SA20 2025/26, scoring 273 runs at a strike-rate of 137.18 in 12 games. The middle-order batter also had a remarkable CSA T20 2024 season, accumulating 182 runs in four games, including a hundred.

Eathan Bosch

Eathan Bosch is the brother of all-rounder Corbin Bosch, who is currently in India for the T20 World Cup. The right-arm pacer has an ODI cap for South Africa, having made his international debut against New Zealand in Lahore in a tri-series ahead of the 2025 Champions Trophy. He has also featured in all four SA20 seasons, picking up 34 wickets in 37 matches.

Eathan was also the third-highest wicket-taker in the 2025 CSAT20 challenge with 13 scalps. He had also notably taken 11 wickets in the 2022/23 season. He has also played for Essex in the County Championship and T20 Blast in 2024.

South Africa squad for New Zealand T20Is

Batters: Tony de Zorzi, Connor Esterhuizen, Jordan Hermann, Jason Smith.

Wicketkeeper: Rubin Hermann.

All-rounders: Dian Forrester, George Linde, Andile Simelane, Prenelan Subrayen.

Bowlers: Keshav Maharaj (c), Ottneil Baartman, Eathan Bosch, Nqobani Mokoena, Gerald Coetzee, Lutho Sipamla.

Also Read: Fan speak: How 'perfect timing' and stellar cricket have put the world back in World Cup

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