T20 World Cup Preview | Will South Africa finally erase all heartbreaks with maiden white-ball World Cup?

‌After their unbelievable slip up against India in the final of the 2024 ICC T20 World Cup to add yet another chapter to their never-ending novel of chokes and heartbreaks, South Africa had something to cheer about in the last year. The Temba Bavuma-led side stunned favourites Australia in the final of the World Test Championship at Lord’s to finally break their 27-year old ICC men’s trophy drought.

That win has pumped in a lot of self-belief to a side that looks primed to finally go the distance in a premier white-ball tournament, with their only win in the past coming in the inaugural edition of the ICC Champions Trophy in 1998. With the monkey off the back, a fearless Proteas outfit will start their 2026 T20 World Cup campaign against Canada in Ahmedabad on Monday.

How did they fare in 2024 T20 World Cup?

An unbeaten South Africa were flying high before meeting eventual champions India in the summit clash. They were well-set to break the title hoodoo before an unbelievable meltdown in the last five overs saw them lose out on a narrow seven-run margin. Heinrich Klaasen’s unbelievable assault on the Indian bowlers, which saw the batter smash five sixes during his 27-ball 52, went in vain as David Miller was splendidly caught on the ropes by an ice-cool Suryakumar Yadav.

The Proteas had seven wins in seven matches, including all three games in the Super Eight stage. Though most of their wins were narrow ones, including a one-run victory over Nepal and a four-run win over Bangladesh in the group stage, they held their nerve in clutch moments and gave the impression that they had finally overcome the tag of chokers before surrendering meekly in the final.

How have they advanced from that heartbreak?

The initial signs were disturbing and hinted that the Proteas were not able to get over that final defeat in the 2024 marquee edition. The side lost seven of their nine matches that immediately followed, including a 3-0 whitewash in West Indies and a stunning 1-1 result against Ireland and a 3-1 mauling at home by India.

However, there was not much improvement in 2025 as well, as the side ended up messing a straightforward chase against New Zealand in the final of the T20 Tri Series in Zimbabwe. Despite needing only seven off the last six balls and with a well-set Dewald Brevis at crease, the Proteas botched up the chase to fall short of the Kiwi score by three runs. Their woeful run continued with away defeats to Australia, Pakistan and India, with another stunning defeat at the hands of neighbours Namibia in a one-off T20I. But the West Indies series win at home, that concluded last week, came as a solace for the rainbow nation just ahead of the showpiece event.

SA in T20Is post the 2024 T20 WC: W 12 L 20

Was there any drastic changes in playing style or personnel?

The playing style more or less continues to remain the same with the side banking on steady and quick starts from Quinton de Kock and Aiden Markram before Dewald Brevis, David Miller and Tristan Stubbs trying to push the side to tall totals with their big-hitting prowess down the order. With the ball, pace has been the key for the side, the presence of pace bowling all-rounders lending further depth, and Keshav Maharaj still being their go-to man in the spin department.

From a personnel point of view, Klaasen’s retirement from all forms of international cricket in June 2025 last year resulted in Proteas losing an impactful middle-order enforcer and finisher. However, Brevis has shown initial promise in his bid to replace the experienced T20 exponent with a tally of 485 runs, the second-most by a South African, from the end of the last World Cup at an average of 28.52 and an impressive strike rate of 173.83. Things would have been even worse had Quinton de Kock not reversed his ODI retirement that automatically saw him being selected in the T20 side, in October last year, after last playing in the final against India in 2024. The wicketkeeper-batter has been in rollicking form amassing 330 runs in 10 matches at an astonishing strike rate of just under 190. Apart from that the batting side looks pretty much the same with Reeza Hendricks making way for Jason Smith.

The bowling line up also wears a familiar look with Kagiso Rabada, Anrich Nortje, Marco Jansen, and left-arm spinner Maharaj all retaining their places. The pace duo of Lungi Ngidi and Kwena Maphaka have replaced Ottneil Baartman and Gerald Coetzee, respectively. All-rounder Corbin Bosch has added depth to their batting with George Linde being preferred over Bjorn Fortuin for his superior skill with the willow. However, Tabrais Shamsi’s exclusion comes as a shock with the left-arm wrist spinner not featuring in a single T20I for the Proteas after the previous World Cup, despite picking up 11 wickets from five matches in the showpiece event.

SA squad for the T20 World Cup: Aiden Markram (c), Quinton de Kock (wk), Ryan Rickelton, Jason Smith, Dewald Brevis, Tristan Stubbs, David Miller, Marco Jansen, Corbin Bosch, George Linde, Keshav Maharaj, Kwena Maphaka, Lungi Ngidi, Anrich Nortje, Kagiso Rabada

SA probable XI: Aiden Markram (c), Quinton de Kock (wk), Ryan Rickelton, Dewald Brevis, Tristan Stubbs, David Miller, Marco Jansen, Corbin Bosch, Keshav Maharaj, Anrich Nortje, Lungi Ngidi/Kagiso Rabada

What are their prospects and shortcomings in 2026?

Quinton de Kock and Aiden Markram are seasoned campaigners with enough experience in the sub-continent as well. The pair, along with Ryan Rickelton, needs to give decent starts on a consistent basis so that the heavy-hitting middle order, including Brevis, can take the side to formidable totals. It will be interesting to see how a past-prime David Miller, who is also walking back from an injury, fits in at the death. If the southpaw is not able to churn those big hits, Brevis and Stubbs will be left to do the heavy lifting in the death overs. That will give an excellent cushion to the bowling unit that has a tendency of having off-days in the shortest format on a regular basis.

The risks become all the more evident with the side not having a dependable spinner apart from Maharaj. Add to that a returning Kagiso Rabada, who has been having a frustrating year and a half with injuries, the Proteas do run a chance of being given a hiding by power-packed batting sides. The pacer has played just seven games after the 2024 event picking up the same number of wickets at an average of above 33 and an economy of under 10.

Verdict: semifinal and if fate allows..

The Proteas are expected to march into the Super Eight stage from their group which also has New Zealand, UAE and Afghanistan apart from Canada. But a tough grouping awaits them with both India and Australia expected to join them in the same side of the Super Eight group. The Proteas need to get the better of either to make their way into the semis but more importantly they need to fight their inner demons from there on.