South Africa tour of New Zealand (2026) - [5 T20Is]

[BouncerGuy]

South Africa announce T20I squad for New Zealand tour

Keshav Maharaj will lead South Africa in the five-match T20 International (T20I) series against New Zealand, which takes place from March 15-25. Five uncapped players have been named to the 15-member squad.

Maharaj, who is playing in the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026, is one of the three players from the current squad to feature on the New Zealand tour. George Linde and Jason Smith will also travel to New Zealand for the bilateral series.

“Keshav has experience captaining the Proteas and has led two teams to the SA20 finals," South Africa head coach Shukri Conrad said.

"His leadership and calm presence make him the ideal person to lead this group on this tour. With this series taking place directly after the T20 World Cup, the majority of that squad will return home, which creates a great opportunity for this group of players to step into the international environment and show what they’re about at this level."

Among the new faces are batters Connor Esterhuizen, Dian Forrester, and Jordan Hermann, who have been rewarded for their consistency in domestic T20s, along with all-rounder Eathan Bosch.

Nqobani Mokoena, the 19-year-old pacer who made his breakthrough in the SA20 League this year, has also received a national call-up.

Fast bowler Gerald Coetzee makes his return to the T20I side for the first time since featuring for the Proteas against Namibia in October 2025, while batter Tony de Zorzi is also back in the squad following his recovery from a right hamstring injury.

South Africa T20I squad for New Zealand series:

Keshav Maharaj (c), Ottneil Baartman, Eathan Bosch, Gerald Coetzee, Tony de Zorzi, Connor Esterhuizen, Dian Forrester, Jordan Hermann, Rubin Hermann, George Linde, Nqobani Mokoena, Andile Simelane, Lutho Sipamla, Prenelan Subrayen, and Jason Smith.

 

[sweep_shot]

Should be a good series.

SA will probably win it.

 

[Kianig89]

Load of t20s right after WC , that's pitiful

 

[sweep_shot]

Load of t20s right after WC , that's pitiful

Yeah. Too much T20. It is an overkill.

Could've arranged a 3-match ODI series since next WC is the ODI WC.

 

[Devadwal]

This series would be ideal for 3 ODIs and 3 T20 matches.

 

[shah9425]

Should start preparing for home odi WC now

 

[Cricket Warrior]

Eight World Cup players set for South Africa T20s | Katene Clarke, Kelly & Lennox called up

BLACKCAPS captain Michell Santner and seven of his ICC T20 World Cup squad have been included in an extended squad to face South Africa in the upcoming KFC T20I series, which gets underway at Bay Oval in Mount Maunganui, Tauranga on Sunday.

The five-match series will be played as double-header game-days alongside the WHITE FERNS and South Africa women’s Life Direct T20I series - allowing Kiwi fans the chance to watch all four teams play on the same day.

With BLACKCAPS players and staff arriving home to New Zealand over the next couple of days, two squads have effectively been selected for the series to help manage workloads following Monday morning’s World Cup final's defeat to India in Ahmedabad.

Devon Conway and Lockie Ferguson will join Santner in the squad for the first three games, while Kyle Jamieson, Cole McConchie, Jimmy Neesham, Ben Sears and Ish Sodhi are available the entire series after comparatively lighter workloads during the T20 World Cup campaign.

Following the series opener at Bay Oval on Sunday, the double-headers swiftly shift to Seddon Park in Hamilton on Tuesday and onto Eden Park in Auckland on Friday, March 20.

Top order batters Katene Clarke and Nick Kelly are in line to make their T20I debuts during the series, as is Central Districts spinner Jayden Lennox, with Clarke and Lennox selected for games four and five - in Wellington on Sunday March 22 and in Christchurch on Wednesday March 25, respectively.

Clarke’s maiden BLACKCAPS call-up follows a break-out Super Smash season where the 26-year-old topped the competition run-scoring charts with 431 runs, including an unbeaten century, as his Northern Brave side claimed the T20 domestic title.

"Katene is someone we've been keeping an eye on for a while now and so it was great to see him shoot the lights out in the Super Smash and force his way into his first BLACKCAPS squad," said BLACKCAPS selector Gavin Larsen.

"He's an explosive player who possess plenty of power and a variety of shots. He’s shown destructive ability inside the power play, but also crucially the ability to bat deep in an innings too."

Lennox’s first inclusion in a BLACKCAPS T20 squad follows his successful ODI debut series against India in January where he claimed 3-84 from his 20 overs against the formidable home batting line-up.

Kelly’s been a consistent performer for the Wellington Firebirds across the formats in recent years and earns his maiden T20 call-up off the back of his ODI debut series against Pakistan at home last April.

Josh Clarkson, Zak Foulkes, Bevon Jacobs and Tim Robinson get their chance to impress after being selected for the full five-game series, with Clarkson back in the side for the first time since playing eight T20Is in 2024.

Tom Latham, who was the top run-scorer for the Canterbury Kings in the Super Smash, makes his return to the national T20 set-up as a wicket-keeper-batsman and will also take over the captaincy reigns from Santner for the final two matches.

"Tom's selection comes off the back of a strong Super Smash season at the top of the order for the Kings," Larsen said.

"He'll bring all his quality and experience, but as important is his leadership - which we are also likely to call on in the upcoming white-ball tour to Bangladesh in April."

With Conway departing after three matches, Central Stags gloveman Dane Cleaver will join the squad for the end of the series having last played for the BLACKCAPS in 2023.

Finn Allen, Mark Chapman, Jacob Duffy, Daryl Mitchell, Glenn Phillips, Rachin Ravindra and Tim Seifert will miss the series to rest and freshen up after India, alongside Matt Henry who will also take some time to spend with his new baby.


BLACKCAPS T20 squad v South Africa

Mitchell Santner (c) (1-3)

Katene Clarke* (4-5)

Josh Clarkson

Dane Cleaver (wk) (4-5)

Devon Conway (wk) (1-3)

Lockie Ferguson (2-3)

Zak Foulkes

Bevon Jacobs

Kyle Jamieson

Nick Kelly*

Tom Latham (wk) (c) 4-5)

Jayden Lennox* (4-5)

Cole McConchie

Jimmy Neesham

Tim Robinson

Ben Sears

Nathan Smith

Ish Sodhi


*Potential T20I debut

Michael Bracewell (calf), Adam Milne (ankle), Will O'Rourke (back) and Blair Tickner (ankle) were not considered for the series due to injury.

Eight World Cup players set for South Africa T20s | Katene Clarke, Kelly & Lennox called up

BLACKCAPS captain Michell Santner and seven of his ICC T20 World Cup squad have been included in an extended squad to face South Africa in the upcoming KFC T20I series, which gets underway at Bay Oval in Mount Maunganui, Tauranga on Sunday.

www.nzc.nz

 

[Kianig89]

Santner needs a break after the horrorshow of Ahmeadabad as skipper.

 

[U$ofA]

Load of t20s right after WC , that's pitiful

Yeah. Too much T20. It is an overkill.

Could've arranged a 3-match ODI series since next WC is the ODI WC.

NZC has to make $$$ to pay the bills. For that the people have to show up. Both at the stadium and tv/streaming.

There is a reason NZC has moved away from tests. Now add ODI's to it.

 

[jnaveen1980]

SA has more batters with T20 mindset compared to NZ.