Du Plessis, Tahir, Morris miss out as South Africa announce squad for T20 World Cup
Johannesburg, Sep 9: Former captain Faf du Plessis, veteran leg-spinner Imran Tahir and all-rounder Chris Morris were left out as South Africa on Thursday announced an 15-member squad for the upcoming T20 World Cup.
Tahir and du Plessis had retired from the other forms of the game to focus on playing in the showpiece event scheduled to be held in the UAE from October 17 to November 14.
Temba Bavuma, who had surgery on Sunday and is expected to be fit by mid to late October, will lead the young team, which also features Keshav Maharaj, the left-arm spinner who is yet to play a T20 International.
In Bavuma's absence, Maharaj will captain South Africa in the upcoming T20I series in Sri Lanka.
"Kesh is an excellent leader," said Victor Mpitsang, CSA's convenor of selectors.
"He has the backing of the team and us as a panel. He has more than proven his leadership skills in the Dolphins set up and reinforced our good decision during the ODI series against Sri Lanka which ended on Tuesday.
"His exemplary captaincy is what we believe is in the best interests of the team's stability during this last international series that the team gets to play ahead of the World Cup."
In the spin department, apart from Maharaj, Tabraiz Shamsi and Bjorn Fortuin will be the specialist bowlers in the squad.
Quinton de Kock, Aidem Markram, Heinrich Klaasen and David Miller will form part of an experienced batting line-up, while the fast-bowling line-up features Kagiso Rabada, Lungi Ngidi and Anrich Nortje.
"There is no better time than now for us to bring home the trophy, and bring the nation together in a way that only sport can," said Mpitsang.
"We hope that South Africans will rally behind this team and cheer them all the way to the final."
George Linde, Andile Phehlukwayo and Lizaad Williams were named as reserve players.
South Africa have been placed in Group 1 in the showpiece event alongside Australia, England, and West Indies.
The Squad: Temba Bavuma (c), Keshav Maharaj, Quinton de Kock (wk), Bjorn Fortuin, Reeza Hendricks, Heinrich Klaasen, Aiden Markram, David Miller, W Mulder, Lungi Ngidi, Anrich Nortje, Dwaine Pretorius, Kagiso Rabada, Tabraiz Shamsi, Rassie van der Dussen.
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South African police arrest suspect in mass shooting that killed 12, including 3 children
Johannesburg (AP): A 32-year-old suspect has been arrested in connection with a mass shooting which claimed the lives of 12 people including three children at an unlicensed pub earlier this month, South African police said on Monday.
The man is suspected of being one of the three people who opened fire on patrons in a pub at Saulsville township, west of South Africa's capital Pretoria, killing 12 people including three children aged 3, 12 and 16.
At least 13 people were also injured during the attack, whose motive remains unknown.
According to the police, the suspect was arrested on Sunday while traveling to Botlokwa in Limpopo province, more than 340 km from where the mass shooting took place on Dec 6.
An unlicensed firearm believed to have been used during the attack was recovered from the suspect's vehicle.
“The 32-year-old suspect was intercepted by Limpopo Tracking Team on the R101 Road in Westenburg precinct. During the arrest, the team recovered an unlicensed firearm, a hand gun, believed to have been used in the commission of the multiple murders. The firearm will be taken to the Forensic Science Laboratory for ballistic analysis,” police said in statement.
The suspect was arrested on the same day that another mass shooting at a pub took place in the Bekkersdal township, west of Johannesburg, in which nine people were killed and 10 wounded when unknown gunmen opened fire on patrons.
Police have since launched a search for the suspects.
South Africa has one of the highest homicide rates in the world and recorded more than 26,000 homicides in 2024 — an average of more than 70 a day. Firearms are by far the leading cause of death in homicides.
The country of 62 million people has relatively strict gun ownership laws, but many killings are committed with illegal guns, according to authorities.
According to police, mass shootings at unlicensed bars are becoming a serious problem. Police shut down more than 11,000 illegal taverns between April and September this year and arrested more than 18,000 people for involvement in illegal liquor sales.
