
Proteas limited-overs captain Temba Bavuma believes that the five-match T20 series against West Indies is the perfect test ahead of this year’s T20 World Cup.
South Africa come off a 2-0 clean sweep in the recently completed Test series in the Caribbean and Bavuma is hoping the winning culture continues in the white-ball format.
Bavuma, who will be playing in his first T20 since last year December, will also lead the Proteas for the first time in T20 gear.
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However, the Proteas will have their work cut out on them as they face the two-time T20 World Cup winners in Grenada.
The Windies have selected a powerful line-up with plenty of experienced players, which include the likes of captain Kieron Pollard, Chris Gayle, Andre Russell and Dwayne Bravo.
Both teams use the five matches to gear up for the T20 World Cup later this year.
“As a team, we’ve had various discussions and exhausted them in terms of the type of cricket we want to play. And now we have an opportunity to test ourselves against a strong and experienced T20 outfit,” Bavuma told reporters on Friday.
“The West Indies are an obvious favourite when it comes to the T20 World Cup. It will give us a clearer picture and understanding of the guys who will be able to do what is needed to be done come the World Cup.
“It will be a good measure and good test. It really show us where we stand in terms of our game.”
The first T20 is scheduled to get under way at 20:00 SA time on Saturday.
Proteas T20 squad:
Temba Bavuma (captain, Central Gauteng Lions), Quinton de Kock (Northerns), Bjorn Fortuin (Central Gauteng Lions), Beuran Hendricks (Western Province), Reeza Hendricks (Central Gauteng Lions), Heinrich Klaasen (Northerns), George Linde (Western Province), Sisanda Magala (Central Gauteng Lions), Janneman Malan (Boland), Aiden Markram (Northerns), David Miller (KwaZulu-Natal Coastal), Wiaan Mulder (Central Gauteng Lions), Lungi Ngidi (Northerns), Anrich Nortje (Eastern Province), Andile Phehlukwayo (KwaZulu-Natal Coastal), Kagiso Rabada (Central Gauteng Lions), Tabraiz Shamsi (Northerns), Rassie van der Dussen (Central Gauteng Lions), Kyle Verreynne (Western Province), Lizaad Williams (Northerns)
West Indies squad:
Kieron Pollard (captain), Nicholas Pooran (vice-captain), Fabian Allen, Dwayne Bravo, Fidel Edwards, Andre Fletcher, Chris Gayle, Jason Holder, Evin Lewis, Obed McCoy, Andre Russell, Lendl Simmons, Kevin Sinclair

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