Proteas' bowling may be a concern, but powerful batting line-up has 'all bases covered'

Half of the fast bowlers that South Africa have taken to the 2026 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup have only recently recovered from injuries, and it is now beginning to show on the field.

The leader of the attack, Kagiso Rabada, sustained a rib injury in early November and missed South Africa’s multi-format tour of India before returning on 31 December in the SA20. The 30-year-old went on to play a total of eight matches in the SA20 and has made three appearances for South Africa, including Wednesday’s warm-up match against India in Navi Mumbai.

On the other hand, 19-year-old Kwena Maphaka picked up a groin injury while playing in the CSA Four-Day Series in October and was ruled out until the opening match of the SA20 on Boxing Day.

Anrich Nortje was another quick who did not play any competitive cricket for a lengthy period last year, having been ruled out due to a recurring back injury from June to October. He returned in the CSA T20 Challenge, playing nine matches, before making 12 appearances for the Sunrisers Eastern Cape in the SA20.

All three quicks have struggled since their returns; Nortje went at over 19 runs per over in the India warm-up, while Rabada and Maphaka went at 14.6 and 9.5 runs per over, respectively. As a result, the Proteas' bowling unit appears to be the weak link heading into the T20 World Cup, and opposition teams will certainly target them during the showpiece event.

By contrast, the batting unit looks as crisp as ever. They posted 210/7 on Wednesday, with captain Aiden Markram leading from the front. The batting order is undoubtedly South Africa’s strong point, and given the flat nature of the wickets during the warm-up matches, the batters could be in for the tournament of their lives.

Former Proteas all-rounder and current T20I consultant, Albie Morkel, shares this sentiment, believing South Africa has all bases covered from a batting perspective. From Markram and Quinton de Kock at the top of the order to Jason Smith and David Miller in the middle, the Proteas remain a genuine threat to opposition bowling attacks.

"We've got all the bases covered there. Good left-right combinations, guys that can hit the ball out of the ground. So, it's just about keeping those guys in a good space," Morkel reiterated.

"Most of them had good SA20s back home. Yes, India has different conditions, but it's actually more batting-friendly. So, I’m looking forward to the tournament. It’s going to be a good one."

The Proteas are set to travel from Navi Mumbai to Ahmedabad on Thursday for their opening clash against Canada on Monday.