‘He’s still playing well’: Former Pacer star reveals why he wants Faf du Plessis in South Africa’s T20 World Cup squad

Former South African player Morne Morkel wants selectors to include veteran smasher Faf du Plessis in the Proteas squad for the upcoming T20 World Cup in Australia. du Plessis, who is currently without a South African central contract, recently led Royal Challengers Bangalore to the Indian Premier League (IPL), scoring 468 runs throughout the tournament. The 37-year-old was also ignored by the selectors for last year’s T20 World Cup in the UAE, and faces a similar situation ahead of a showcase event in Australia later this year.

“You want all your big-name players to play and Faf is still playing well at 37. He’s still playing well, moving well on the pitch and he’s done really well for RCB (at IPL). would love to see those experienced players on the side. It’s up to them (South Africa Cricket), but I’m definitely a big fan of it,” Morkel told the ICC.

However, Morkel remains confident that South Africa will be competitive at the T20 World Cup, regardless of whether du Plessis finds a place in the team.

While suggesting that the Proteas have a world-class bowling team, Morkel also suggests that the hitters can also make a difference.

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“I honestly believe they have an attack that would fit these conditions. Kagiso Rabada is a world-class performer, Anrich Nortje did a great job at IPL and Shamsi is a quality spinner. I believe it’s a balanced lineup and in T20 cricket these days the teams are very close together,” he said.

“From a batting perspective, you can’t help but mention Quinton De Kock because he’s been in fantastic form. Aiden Markram is another quality player, while Bevuma finds a way to score runs and rotate the attack even though he’s not your usual T20 player. On these big courts (in Australia) where you can hit the bag and run well, he’s going to be a big player,” Morkel added.