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Rickelton: Why domestic form was not enough for a World Cup place
The Mercury
|January 15, 2026
EVERYONE who is anyone has had something to say about the Proteas’ T20 World Cup squad - from Kevin Pietersen to the keyboard warriors typing furiously behind pseudonyms on X.
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WHILE MI Cape Town's Ryan Rickleton's has set the SA20 on fire, his form for the Proteas has been rather average. | Sportzpics
(Sportzpics)
The biggest conjecture has surrounded the selection of Tony de Zorzi and Jason Smith in the 15-player squad. De Zorzi, of course, has not played since the India tour, where he tweaked a hamstring in the second ODI, subsequently missing the ongoing Betway SA20.
In his absence, Ryan Rickelton has hit the lights out for MI Cape Town once again, becoming the first batter to score multiple centuries in South Africa’s premier domestic T20 competition. With every straight drive or pull through mid-wicket, the cries over Rickelton’s exclusion grew louder.
The truth of the matter is that Rickelton competes directly with Quinton de Kock; once the veteran opening bat/ wicketkeeper opted to return to international cricket, Rickelton's place was always in jeopardy.
The question you are undoubtedly asking is: why can’t the two southpaws coexist?
This story is from the January 15, 2026 edition of The Mercury.
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