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The South African
6 days ago
- Sport
- The South African
When do the Proteas return to South Africa?
This past weekend, the Proteas secured the ICC World Test Championship at Lord's, famously defeating Australia by five wickets on day four of the final. It ended a 27-year wait for ICC success, as this was the first senior Men's trophy since the 1998 ICC Knockout victory. There were tears and cheers as South Africa ended decades of heartache in ICC 'finals', while it was also an eighth consecutive Test victory for Bavuma and his team, notched on four different continents. Considering the weight of this achievement, there is no doubt that hundreds of fans will want to ensure there is an especially warm welcome for the team upon their return to South Africa. It's been confirmed that South Africa will arrive back at OR Tambo International on Wednesday at around 09:25 (SA time). 'The next time we see Shukri and his team, we will welcome them as the ICC World Test Champions!' CSA Director of National Teams and High Performance Enoch Nkwe declared. Before that welcome, the team may well have to pass through O.R Tambo International Airport customs, so that they can declare a rather significant piece of international history that they are bringing back into the country. 'This moment is a reminder that no dream is too distant, no challenge insurmountable and no legacy too heavy to carry forward,' Nkwe added. 'I commend the unwavering commitment demonstrated by each player, both on and off the field. Reaching this milestone, coupled with remarkable key performances, will undoubtedly be etched into the history books,' Nkwe added. Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 0211. Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X and Bluesky for the latest news.
IOL News
15-05-2025
- Sport
- IOL News
Enoch Nkwe confirms Proteas Test stars will return from IPL for WTC final preparations
CSA head of national teams Enoch Nkwe insists that the Proteas will have their full schedule to prepare for the World test Championship final against Australia, regardless of the IPL's end date. Photo: BackpagePix Image: BackpagePix Cricket South Africa's (CSA) head of national teams, Enoch Nkwe, clarified on Tuesday – in an exclusive interview with Independent Media – that South Africa's senior national cricket team's Test players will depart India from 26 May to join preparations for the World Test Championship (WTC) final against Australia. Kagiso Rabada (Gujarat Titans), Aiden Markram (Lucknow Super Giants), Marco Jansen (Punjab Kings), Tristan Stubbs (Delhi Capitals), Lungi Ngidi (Royal Challengers Bengaluru), Wiaan Mulder (Sunrisers Hyderabad), Ryan Rickelton and Corbin Bosch (both Mumbai Indians) are the eight Test players who returned to the IPL after the tournament was suspended last week due to geopolitical instability in the region. The IPL is set to restart on Saturday following the interruption, with the South African players returning to the subcontinent this week to rejoin their respective franchises. Originally scheduled to conclude on May 25, the tournament will now host its final on June 3. The influence of the BCCI and the IPL has raised concerns that the South African contingent may not be released until the tournament's new end date. Should this scenario unfold, it would disrupt the Proteas' preparations for their four-day warm-up fixture against Zimbabwe, which is set to begin on the same day as the IPL final. Nkwe, however, reiterated that, as things currently stand, the players will return on 26 May as originally planned, allowing coach Shukri Conrad's team sufficient preparation time for the WTC final. The 42-year-old added that discussions are ongoing between CSA's CEO, Pholetsi Moseki, the BCCI, and the IPL regarding South Africa's players. CSA CEO Pholetsi Moseki. Photo: Backpagepix Image: Backpagepix 'Nothing has changed, as far as I'm concerned. As we speak, the matter is sitting with the big bosses – between CSA and the BCCI. I know the CEO has been engaging with the IPL as well,' Nkwe said. 'We haven't moved from the original schedule. We are planning accordingly in terms of the final. 'We need days to prepare the guys for the Zimbabwe game, which is the warm-up match, because after that we don't have much time before the final begins.' With most of the Proteas' Test players having last played red-ball cricket during the New Year's Test against Pakistan at Newlands, the squad requires as much preparation time as possible. The World Test Championship final is scheduled to take place from 11 to 15 June at Lord's.
Hindustan Times
15-05-2025
- Sport
- Hindustan Times
South Africa take another U-turn, negotiate with IPL over WTC final-bound stars; MI, DC, PBKS face blow to playoff hopes
Cricket South Africa (CSA), on Thursday, took another U-turn on their decision to send the World Test Championship (WTC) final-bound players to India for the last leg of the IPL 2025, which will resume on May 17. As many as eight IPL-bound players have been picked in the South Africa Test squad for the WTC final against Australia, which will begin on June 11 at the Lord's. After CSA announced the squad for the final, a day after BCCI made it official to resume the IPL 2025 season, the board reportedly indicated that they need those eight players back by May 26 in preparation for the match in London. Later, CSA's director of national teams Enoch Nkwe, confirmed the same in a presser. However, a few hours later, he issued a small correction on the deadline date, saying it had been pushed back by a week. "Correction – the squad will resume training for the game on June 3rd," said Nkwe. 'The matter is being discussed higher up than me. At ground level, we are focusing on preps for the WTC final.' In a second U-turn, South Africa now need their players back home by May 27, according to a report in the ESPNCricinfo. "Cricket South Africa (CSA) has concluded negotiations with the IPL about the early release of these players, given the importance of the WTC final, which will be played on June 11 at Lord's against Australia," the report said. The eight IPL-bound South African players included in the WTC squad - Kagiso Rabada (Gujarat Titans), Aiden Markram (Lucknow Super Giants), Marco Jansen (Punjab Kings), Tristan Stubbs (Delhi Capitals), Lungi Ngidi (Royal Challengers Bengaluru), Wiaan Mulder (Sunrisers Hyderabad), Ryan Rickelton and Corbin Bosch (both Mumbai Indians) - will join the rest of the squad at home on May 27 and leave for London three days later, where they will play a warm-up game against Zimbabwe from June 3 at Arundel in preparation for the match against Australia. Gujarat have played the majority of the season without Rabada and hence are unlikely to worry over his absence, as they now stand just a win away from making the playoffs. However, Mumbai will be concerned with the side set to miss two of their players. Rickelton has been their second-highest run-getter, while Bosch has played handy cameos in the three games he played. Punjab will also be worried with Jansen being their third-best bowler this season with 11 wickets in as many matches, while Stubbs has been impressive as a finisher for Delhi Capitals. Both these teams are well in the race to make the playoffs with three games remaining for each. LSG, currently placed seventh on the points table, do have their chances diminished compared to the aforementioned four, but they will miss the services of Markram, who scored 348 runs in 11 innings for them, especially with the team needing to win all their remaining games to qualify.
Time of India
15-05-2025
- Sport
- Time of India
South African players to stay till IPL concludes, delay WTC final preparations: Report
South African players are likely to remain in the IPL 2025 until its conclusion on June 3, potentially impacting their preparations for the World Test Championship Final against Australia on June 11. Initial plans for players to return by May 26 were altered after discussions between CSA, BCCI, and IPL franchises. Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads South African players are expected to stay for the entirety of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025, potentially impacting their World Test Championship Final preparations, reported ANI citing The Sydney Morning Africa is set to face Australia in the summit clash at Lord's in London from June 11. Meanwhile, IPL is scheduled to conclude on June 3, after a week long suspension due to escalated tensions between India and newspaper reported that the Board of Control for Cricket in India BCCI ) allegedly leveraged its influence to ensure South African players' continued BCCI suspended the league for a week due to cross-border tensions between India and Pakistan. After the 'stoppage in fire', the IPL is set to resume on May 17 with Royal Challengers Bengaluru hosting defending champions, Kolkata Knight Riders, at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru."One thing we've made clear, and we are finalising it with the IPL and the BCCI, is that we are sticking to our original plan when it comes to WTC preparations with May 26 being the latest for the Test guys to come back," CSA's director of cricket Enoch Nkwe said, as quoted from The Sydney Morning in just few hours, Nkwe took a U-turn, saying higher-level talks were happening between CSA, the BCCI, and IPL franchises, suggesting CSA had little choice in the matter."Correction - the squad will resume training for the game on June 3rd," he declared."The matter is being discussed higher up than me. At ground level, we are focusing on preps for the WTC final," he had earlier insisted that eight of their players would have to leave IPL by May 25 to prepare for the players like Kagiso Rabada , Marco Jansen, Aiden Markram, Lungi Ngidi, and Tristan Stubbs may reach England just a week before the final, needing to switch from T20 mode to Test cricket quickly. South Africa's planned warm-up match against Zimbabwe on June 3 might also be Australia, only Josh Inglis, and Mitchell Starc might be associated with IPL in the playoffs week. The rest, including Pat Cummins and Travis Head, will return to India briefly, but their team, Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH), is already out of the Australia is holding training camps in Brisbane and will prepare in London before the final begins on June 11. They won't play a practice match but will focus on match-style training.
Hindustan Times
15-05-2025
- Sport
- Hindustan Times
South Africa reverse track, delay WTC final preparations to allow stars to play in IPL until June 3: Report
Cricket South Africa are set for a massive u-turn in terms of their planning for the World Test Championship final, with the board set to allow players involved in the IPL to remain in the tournament through to its revised conclusion on June 3. CSA had originally provided a deadline of May 26 for the Test team to assemble in preparation for next month's final against Australia at Lord's, but the delayed finish to the IPL in the wake of its suspension has led to a change of plans, as per a report in the Sydney Morning Herald. CSA's director of national teams Enoch Nkwe spoke to the press about South Africa's plans, first announcing the intentions of prioritising an extended preparatory window for the WTC: 'One thing we've made clear, and we are finalising it with the IPL and the BCCI, is that we are sticking to our original plan when it comes to WTC preparations with May 26 being the latest for the Test guys to come back.' However, Nkwe provided a correction on his statement a few hours later, informing reporters that the deadline for the Test squad had been pushed back by a week. 'Correction – the squad will resume training for the game on June 3rd,' said Nkwe. 'The matter is being discussed higher up than me. At ground level, we are focusing on preps for the WTC final.' Nkwe's statement seems to indicate that discussions between higher-ups in CSA and the BCCI led to this consensus being reached. Reportedly, this will also have an impact on South Africa's planned informal warm-up game against Zimbabwe, which was set to be played in the English town of Arundel beginning on June 3. Players such as Tristan Stubbs, Kagiso Rabada, Marco Jansen, and Ryan Rickelton are playing high-profile roles at their respective IPL franchises, but are also key players in South Africa's hopes of lifting the WTC final trophy at Lord's. A total of eight members of South Africa's final squad are contracted in the IPL. Cricket Australia, meanwhile, look set to stick to their guns regarding recalling their five IPL players early, with a focus on going back-to-back in the WTC. There have been suggestions that the BCCI was able to hold the ownership of SA20 teams by IPL franchises as a reason for the South African stars committing to seeing out this edition of the tournament. The IPL is set to resume on May 17, while the WTC final begins on June 11 at Lord's.
