Five players key to the Proteas' 2024 T20 World Cup campaign

It's difficult to choose heroes from a list of superstars, but here, SABC Sport takes a look at five players who are set to shine bright for the Proteas. 

It's Miller Time

David Miller has been the stalwart of the Proteas' white ball lineup for over a decade. His experience in managing the back end of an innings - whether setting a target or chasing down a score - is of vital importance to the Proteas' World Cup hopes. 

And the veteran seems to be hitting his traps at the right time. In the 2024 IPL, Miller averaged a healthy 35 with a rapid strike rate of 151. His athletic efforts in the field can't be ignored either, especially in the inner ring. 

The joker in the pack

Tabraiz Shamsi's left-arm wrist spin has become a powerful tool in the Proteas' bowling attack. Putting his heart and soul into every delivery, Shamsi's deft touch when batters are looking to up the scoring rate is very underrated. His deception in flight has proved the undoing of many a dangerous hitter.

Shamsi averages a very tidy 22.20 with the ball in T20Is and while he's ranked seventh in the bowling rankings, he's ranked No.1 in celebrations. 

Oh captain, my captain

Aiden Markram leads the Proteas squad at the World Cup. A natural-born leader, he's fresh off captaining the Sunrisers to back-to-back titles in the SA20. Now, the time has come for results on the international stage.

Ranked fifth in the ICC's T20I all-rounder list, Markram's contributions are around the park. Averaging a healthy 38.55 with the bat, he is one of the Proteas most dangerous with the willow. Markham has a knack of picking up wickets with the ball too, so expect him to bowl himself in the early overs.

A touch of Klaas-en

Heinrich Klaasen is one of the most in-form white ball batters in the world at the moment. The right-hander bludgeoned three ODI centuries last year, impressive for coming so low down the order. 

This form is finally translating to the 20-over format, with Klaasen putting together some outrageous scores in the IPL, including an 80* off just 34 balls. If Klaasen gets going with the bat, there is no score too high for the Proteas to chase. 

Blitsvinnig

There's no substitute for raw pace, and Anrich Nortje has that in spades. The paceman is coming off a lengthy injury break, that has seen him miss nine months of international action. He returned at the IPL, where he scooped seven wickets in his six matches. But more importantly, the pace was up, regularly clocking 150kph.

Selectors have not forgotten Nortje's exploits in T20Is. In the latter half of the 2022/2023 season, the 'tache-touting speedster collected 14 scalps in seven matches for the Proteas, including two four-wicket hauls.

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