Several cricket stars at the ongoing T20 World Cup honed their craft in SA

The 2024 T20 World Cup is historic for a few reasons. It’s the first one hosted in North America, aiming to break new ground in the global game.

It also has the largest number of teams participating compared to the 21 previous tournaments — both 50 and 20-over — with 20 countries.

And as the trend with international cricket follows, several of those countries have a number of South African-born cricketers in their ranks.

While several were born in the country and moved across the globe and ended up representing another country, quite a few started their careers in South Africa before seeking greener pastures later.

Below Daily Maverick looked at a few of them:

Shadley van Schalkwyk of USA bowls during the 2024 men's T20 Cricket World Cup against Canada at Grand Prairie Cricket Stadium in Dallas, Texas. 1 June 2024. (Photo: Robert Cianflone/Getty Images)

Andries Gous and Shadley van Schalkwyk

It’s the first time in their history that co-hosts USA are participating in the T20 World Cup.

Andries Gous and Shadley van Schalkwyk, who both previously represented the Knights and Free State, have both benefited from their move to Major League Cricket in the United States to playing in a World Cup.

Gous and Van Schalkwyk were plying their trade in Bloemfontein as recently as 2021 and 2020, respectively.

Both played in the opening match of the tournament against Canada with former South Africa under-19 batter Gous starring with a 46-ball 65 to help his adopted nation to a seven-wicket win.

Van Schalkwyk, who played for the Knights for more than a decade, bowled three overs and conceded 34 runs in the side’s opening match.

Read more in Daily Maverick: Proteas bowlers starting T20 World Cup brightly was essential for the SA side

Sybrand Engelbrecht of Netherlands plays a shot during the 2023 men's Cricket World Cup aginst India at M Chinnaswamy Stadium on in Bangalore, India. 12 November 2023. (Photo: Surjeet Yadav/Getty Images)

Sybrand Engelbrecht (Netherlands)

Like Gous, 35-year-old Sybrand Engelbrecht also represented South Africa under-19. Engelbrecht represented the Cape Cobras and Western Province for eight years between 2008 and 2016 before retiring at 26 to focus on his professional career outside of the sport.

But having taken up the sport recreationally at first after moving to the Netherlands, Engelbrecht quickly climbed the ladder up to international cricket and sensationally made his international debut at the Cricket World Cup in India last year, while still doing his day job.

Englebrecht played against Nepal in his side’s opening World Cup clash, scoring 14 runs off 16 deliveries in the Dutch’s six-wicket win. He will likely strap up against South Africa on Saturday when the two nations meet.

Honourable mentions: South African-born Colin Ackermann and Roelof van der Merwe are regulars in the Netherlands national side but were not released by their English county sides, Durham and Somerset for the T20 World Cup.

Former Rondebosch High School cricketer, Ryan Klein is a travelling reserve for the Netherlands.

Curtis Campher of Ireland during the 3rd Metro Bank One Day International at Seat Unique Stadium in Bristol, England. 26 September 2023. (Photo: Gareth Copley/Getty Images)

European ex-pats

Curtis Campher (Ireland) and Brad Wheal (Scotland) are both integral members of their sides.

Campher is another SA under-19 graduate, having represented the side in 2018. He left local shores in 2020 and represented Ireland for the first time the same year, qualifying through his Irish grandmother.

The all-rounder is a regular in the Irish side, contributing important runs down the order as well as bowling his fast-medium through the middle of the innings.

Ireland play their first match of the tournament against India this afternoon.

Wheal, an accomplished junior hockey player as well, also took his talents overseas early, after growing up in Durban, and has gone on to represent Scotland internationally.

Wheal’s accurate death bowling has meant that he is a regular in the T20I side. Yesterday’s match between England and Scotland was abandoned due to rain at the Kensington Oval in Barbados with both teams sharing the points.

Namibia’s lot

South Africa’s neighbours Namibia, due to geographic location, naturally have the largest number of South African-born players within their squad with David Wiese the most accomplished alongside Jan Frylinck and Ruben Trumpelmann.

Wiese at the ripe old age of 39, continues to turn out performances for Namibia, most recently helping the side to an 11-run Super Over win over Oman in the side’s opening match.

The big-hitting all-rounder clubbed 13 runs in four deliveries in the Super Over to guide Namibia to victory.

Previously, Wiese represented South Africa in white-ball cricket between 2013 and 2016.

While none of the aforementioned players represent any of the major cricketing nations with a realistic chance of going on to win the tournament, South Africa’s vast talents are spread across the globe. DM