Young Proteas squad target upset win against higher-ranked Black Caps

The 15-man SA group that travelled to New Zealand includes five uncapped players.

Despite fielding a second-string squad, stand-in captain Keshav Maharaj says the Proteas are eager to spring a surprise against New Zealand in their five-match T20 International series which begins in Mount Maunganui on Sunday (8.15am start).

Fresh off the back of the T20 World Cup in India, where the SA team reached the semifinals last week, most of the national squad’s first-choice players were being rested.

The 15-man group in New Zealand included five uncapped players – batters Connor Esterhuizen and Jordan Hermann, all-rounders Prenelan Subrayen and Dian Forrester, and 19-year-old seam bowler Nqobani Mokoena – and Maharaj said it was a good chance to blood some new players as they started their long-term build-up to the 2028 T20 World Cup.

Ready to put up a fight

However, they were equally excited to put up a fight against the hosts and cause an upset against the higher-ranked Black Caps, who beat the Proteas in the penultimate round to reach the final at the global showpiece last week.

“The youngsters have an opportunity here to just show what they’re about, and gain experience on what they can get better at and what they are doing well and put that into practice. You never know where 2028 stands for them in terms of a World Cup squad selection,” said Maharaj, standing in for regular Proteas T20 captain Aiden Markram who was being rested.

“And it’s a wonderful opportunity for us to put our best foot forward against a really strong and very experienced New Zealand side, and just to grade ourselves.

“Obviously we’re not here to just fulfil a fixture. We also want to try and win with a really young side… so we’re creating good memories and creating learnings as we go forward in this series.”

Maharaj was pleased to have a chance to play alongside the Proteas women, who would turn out in curtain raisers ahead of the men’s games in all five matches of the double header series against New Zealand.

“It’s a lovely opportunity to first see what the conditions are like when the women play, but more importantly I think women’s cricket has come along in leaps and bounds, so it’s wonderful for them to have this stage as well,” said Maharaj, who was set to play his 50th T20 International on Sunday.

“They’ve played some amazing cricket and some very exciting cricket games that have gone down to the wire, so it’s exciting for them, and also exciting for us to be able to witness it live.

“Not a lot of guys when they’re home get the opportunity to watch women’s cricket due to the various commitments wherever they are, and down time, so it’s a lovely opportunity for us to witness what they’re about and how they go about their games.”

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