Maharaj to lead South Africa in post-World Cup T20I series in New Zealand

Keshav Maharaj will lead a 15-member South Africa squad for the five-match T20I series against New Zealand, scheduled to be played from March 15 to 25. The squad announced by Cricket South Africa on Friday (February 20) has as many as five uncapped players and none of the IPL-bound players.

Among the fresh faces are batters Connor Esterhuizen, Dian Forrester and Jordan Hermann, who have earned call-ups on the back of consistent returns in domestic T20 competitions. Allrounder Eathan Bosch also finds a place in the squad. Teenage fast bowler Nqobani Mokoena has been included after a breakthrough season in the SA20. The 19-year-old finished with 13 wickets - fourth-highest - from 10 games at an economy of 9.62 for the Paarl Royals.

"Nqobani showed during SA20 that he is an exciting young quick with the ability to make an impact and this series will give him the perfect opportunity to expose him to the international setup," said head coach Shukri Conrad.

Maharaj is one of three players from South Africa's ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026 squad named for the tour, alongside fellow left-arm spinner George Linde and Jason Smith. Meanwhile, fast bowler Gerald Coetzee returns to the T20I setup for the first time since featuring against Namibia in October 2025, while batter Tony de Zorzi is back after recovering from a right hamstring injury.

The series will be played as double-headers, with the South Africa Women playing in the afternoon followed by the men's fixture in the evening across all five matches, marking the first time the senior national sides will feature together in a bilateral double-header format.

Conrad said the tour offers an opportunity for fringe players to step into the international environment with several World Cup regulars set to return home after the global event. "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," Conrad said.

"Keshav has experience captaining the Proteas and has led two teams to the SA20 finals. His leadership and calm presence make him the ideal person to lead this group on this tour.

"The batting unit is particularly exciting for this tour. Tony brings experience to the top order, while Connor, Dian and Jordan have all demonstrated the ability to play positive, attacking cricket for their domestic teams. Touring New Zealand will challenge their skills in different conditions, and playing in our first bilateral double-header series alongside the Proteas Women adds to the excitement."

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