WI, SA to begin T20 series on Friday

The tourists will be looking to bounce back from Test series loss

CAPE TOWN: Outplayed in the Test series, West Indies will seek to turn the tables on South Africa in a three-match T20I series which starts at Newlands on Friday.

While South Africa have rested several key players and the West Indies T20 squad boasts more experience than the Test squad which was beaten 2-0 in a three-match Test series.

Proven campaigners such as Chris Gayle, Kieron Pollard, Andre Russell, Dwayne Bravo, Dwayne Smith and captain Darren Sammy have joined the touring party for the short-form matches.

Pollard starred for the Cape Cobras, who won South Africa's domestic T20 competition this season, while Gayle, Russell, Bravo and Sammy all played for South African franchises.

South Africa, on the other hand, will be missing star players such as AB de Villiers, Hashim Amla, Dale Steyn and Morne Morkel, who are being rested ahead of a one-day series and next month's Cricket World Cup in Australia and New Zealand.

JP Duminy, one of South Africa's most consistent T20 performers, was named in the host country's squad but his return from a knee injury has been put back again.

Originally expected to appear during the Test series he is now only expected to play in the one-day internationals which start on January 16. Justin Ontong has been added to the squad.

Captain Faf du Plessis and seam bowler Kyle Abbott are the only South African players who appeared in the Test series, while Test captain Denesh Ramdin, Suleiman Benn, Sheldon Cottrell, Jason Holder and Marlon Samuels played for the West Indies in the Test matches.

Fixtures

January 9, Cape Town

January 11, Johannesburg

January 14, Durban

 

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