How does South Africa's top six shape up heading into the 2026 men's T20 World Cup?
Losing finalists at the last men’s T20 World Cup, South Africa will be hoping to go one better early next year in India and Sri Lanka.
The Proteas have just completed a three-T20I tour of Pakistan, and have eight more matches in the format before the World Cup; five against India in India, and three at home against the West Indies.
There’s still time for them to make tweaks to their preferred side, but here is a look at the general state of the batting lineup at this point.
Who stays from the 2024 tournament?
In 2024, South Africa had a settled top six. Quinton de Kock, Reeza Hendricks, Aiden Markram, Tristan Stubbs, Heinrich Klaasen and David Miller played all nine matches.
There is at least one forced change in the offing though. Klaasen has retired from international cricket since that tournament, so will not be around, barring a U-turn (which, in all honesty, has become far too common these days).
De Kock retired from ODIs in 2023, and did not formally retire from T20Is following the 2024 final. But he has since reversed his ODI decision, and returned to the shortest format for the one-off T20I against Namibia last month after over a year away.
These two places – at the top and at No.5 – could well need to be filled. “The door isn't completely open for me. I still need to score runs,” de Kock admitted last week when asked about his World Cup prospects. He is far from certain to simply walk back into the side.
Reeza Hendricks: On the way out?
Hendricks, Markram and Stubbs have been relatively ever-present since 2024, playing 19, 14 and 14 of South Africa’s 25 T20Is since then.
As all-format players, the latter two were rested for the Pakistan T20Is, and also missed the July tri-series against New Zealand and Zimbabwe.
Hendricks played both of those series, but was left out of South Africa’s more difficult trips to Australia and England across August and September. Despite playing the most matches out of any of the incumbent top six, he does seem to be on the way out of the side.
“There are players who have flown past Reeza. It’s unfortunate that it’s fallen this way on Reeza, but I feel there are other guys who give us better options,” head coach Shukri Conrad said after he was not named in the touring squad for Australia.
As blunt as it gets, you would think.
Miller at No.6 also remains a concern. Now on a hybrid central contract with South Africa, he has the freedom to be more selective about which international matches he plays.
But so far, he has taken part in only four of the 25 T20Is since the last World Cup – and was ruled out of the Pakistan series with a hamstring injury. If he is fit though, one assumes he walks into the team.
All this means South Africa have at least three spots to fill, and will likely need a contingency plan for Miller, between his recent injury and general lack of game time with the national team.
Who are the favourites to open for South Africa?
It’s only natural to start from the top. The Proteas have had six different opening pairs since the last World Cup, with Hendricks and Ryan Rickelton the most-used pair (nine matches).
There’s no deduction needed here. When Conrad spoke about Hendricks earlier, he also said, “It’s no secret that Aiden [Markram] and Ryan [Rickelton] are my preferred opening batters.
“It makes it difficult for Razzle [Hendricks] to fit in, and there are guys who can open and bat in the middle, like Rassie [van der Dussen] and Lhuan-dre [Pretorius], who give you that cover if you need it.”
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That preferred pair has featured in six games so far, and average 17.83 together. But that is explained somewhat by the quality of opposition; India (1), Australia (3) and England (2).
With several other moving parts in the lineup, one thinks that despite the seemingly poor returns, South Africa would be keen to nail down the openers. Conrad was charitable enough to even mention the back-ups.
It does remain to be seen if things change in the event that de Kock’s return goes spectacularly. But so far, he has an unflattering 31 runs in four games.
With Markram moving up, what happens at No.3?
As solid as the opening combination appears to be, Conrad’s preference for Markram up top means a spot opens up at No.3.
This is where things start to get tricky. Markram has remained there on occasions when Hendricks has opened, but none of the other contenders have really given South Africa the returns they are looking for.
19-year-old Lhuan-dre Pretorius has been given six innings there – along with four at the top and one at No.5 – but has so far failed to replicate his barnstorming SA20 form, averaging a mere 13.08 in T20I cricket, at no great scoring rate (121.7). His talent, of course, is unquestionable.
Matthew Breetzke made one half-century at No.3 (against Ireland) but has more recently batted at No.5. Rassie van der Dussen did the same, but has largely shifted up and down the order, slotting in only sporadically in his role as South Africa’s spare batter.
Considering the long rope South Africa have given Pretorius, they may prefer a left-hander at No.3 to make it three in the top six (alongside Rickelton and Miller).
That is where a more rogue candidate comes in, in the form of Tony de Zorzi. Despite a modest – almost downright poor – domestic and franchise T20 record, de Zorzi was handed a debut against Pakistan. He lashed 33 off 16 in his first outing.
The second, seven off 10, was not nearly as good, but there is certainly enough there for South Africa to explore the possibility of slotting him in at three. De Zorzi’s ability to handle spin in Test cricket has also been encouraging, with centuries in Bangladesh and Pakistan. Actively hitting spin is a slightly different skill, but if South Africa are to take a punt, they could do worse than him.
In the eight remaining games before the main event, this is perhaps the one spot to really keep an eye on. There is no concrete answer yet.
The big question: Who replaces Klaasen?
A big question, yes, but a small answer: Dewald Brevis. There’s little to be said about Brevis that hasn’t already, and nearly 400 runs at a strike rate in excess of 180 since his T20I recall essentially tell the full story.
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He has batted at four and five, so his default spot in the order is not clear from the outside. But these two positions will almost certainly be occupied by Brevis and Stubbs.
The other half of Klaasen’s game, wicketkeeping, is covered by Rickelton, with Pretorius another option in case of injury.
No.6 is set to be Miller, but in case of emergency South Africa do have his backup sorted. Donovan Ferreira hit a six every six balls in Major League Cricket, and one every 4.2 balls in The Hundred. His returns in South Africa colours aren’t quite as hot, but you take an average of 21 and strike rate of 163 from a finisher every day.
Ferreira is also clearly held in high esteem by the coaching staff; he was named captain for the Namibia and Pakistan T20Is, in Markram’s absence.
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