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AB de Villiers has recommended South Africa to consider Faf du Plessis for the T20 World Cup 2024 squad if he demonstrates his worth.
Faf du Plessis’ performance and leadership in franchise leagues
Du Plessis hasn’t featured in a T20I since December 2020, however his impressive performances in various global franchise leagues have kept him in the spotlight. Currently captaining the Joburg Super Kings (JSK) in SA20 and leading the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) in the Indian Premier League (IPL), the 39-year-old batter continues to exhibit top-notch form.
AB de Villiers’s insights on Du Plessis
Responding to a question about the potential selection of du Plessis for the Proteas in the upcoming T20 mega event, De Villiers stressed the importance of considering him if he proves to be one of the best players available. Advocating for an open-minded approach to selection, De Villiers suggested that players should not be chosen solely based on domestic cricket performances.
“We’ve covered this before with Rohit [Sharma] and Virat [Kohli] as well. Whoever is the best player for the team to go and win a World Cup, you play him. It’s pretty one-dimensional just to say, ‘no, we just pick from our domestic players and that’s it’,” De Villiers said on his Youtube channel.
“If Faf du Plessis is the best player for the Proteas in the T20 World Cup coming up, pick him. If he’s not, don’t pick him. It’s as simple as that. Follow his progress. Have a look at his passion, his form, his shape. Is he hitting the ball well? Is he playing the best cricket of his life or not. And is he a perfect fit for a No. 3 or No. 4 or opening spot for our team in this World Cup? If the answer is yes pick him,” the Pretoria-born cricket concluded.
Also READ: India’s Suresh Raina predicts the player of the tournament for T20 World Cup 2024
South Africa’s T20 World Cup 2024 challenge
The ICC revealed the fixtures for the global showpiece event last week, announcing that the tournament will take place in the West Indies and the United States of America (USA) in June. South Africa has been placed in Group D, where they are set to face strong contenders such as Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Nepal and the Netherlands. This configuration provides a challenging yet exciting opportunity for the Proteas as they aim to pursue success in T20I cricket.
