De Kock announces ODI retirement as SA announce World Cup squad

South Africa have announced their 15-member squad for the World Cup. Temba Bavuma will lead the team, which includes as many as eight World Cup debutants, including himself, as announced by their white-ball coach Rob Walters.

 There was, however, no place for Tristan Stubbs and Dewald Brevis, who were named in the One-Day International (ODI) squad for the series against Australia. Left-arm seamer Wayne Parnell also misses out, and as a result, all three of them have been released from the squad. Parnell will continue his recovery from a shoulder injury. 

In further news from the South African camp, wicketkeeper-batter Quinton de Kock will retire from ODIs after the mega event, according to reports.

"Quinton de Kock has been a really good servant to South African cricket," South Africa's Director of Cricket Enoch Nkwe said. 

"He set the benchmark with his attacking batting style and was a key member of the squad for a number of years. He also wore the captain's armband and that is an honour that very few people get to hold."

De Kock will now be able to play for the entire Big Bash League (BBL) season after he recently signed for Melbourne Renegades. The T20 league was set to clash with the ODI series against India, but this decision enables him to focus entirely on his maiden BBL stint.

🟡ANNOUNCEMENT 🟢

Quinton de Kock has announced his retirement from ODI cricket following the conclusion of the ICC @cricketworldcup in India 🏆 🏏

What's your favourite Quinny moment throughout the years ? 🤔 pic.twitter.com/oyR6yV5YFZ

— Proteas Men (@ProteasMenCSA) September 5, 2023

 "We understand his decision to step back from ODI cricket and we want to thank him for his service over the years. We wish him well for the future but still look forward to seeing him represent the Proteas in T20I cricket," Nkwe added.

Speaking of the World Cup, South Africa's pace attack will be headed by the experienced Kagiso Rabada which also consists of Anrich Nortje, Lungi Ngidi and Gerald Coetzee. They have also gone in with a couple of frontline spin options in Keshav Maharaj and Tabraiz Shamsi, along with the part-time off-spin of Aiden Markram.

Other than Markram, Heinrich Klaasen, Quinton de Kock, Reeza Hendricks, David Miller and Rassie van der Dussen make it a formidable batting unit, while Marco Jansen and Sisanda Magala are the two all-round options the Proteas.

South Africa will begin their World Cup campaign on October 7 against Sri Lanka at the Arun Jaitley Stadium, Delhi. They will play a couple of warm-up matches against Afghanistan (September 29) and New Zealand (October 2) in Thiruvananthapuram ahead of the 10-team event.

South Africa squad for World Cup: Temba Bavuma (C), Gerald Coetzee, Quinton de Kock, Reeza Hendricks, Marco Jansen, Heinrich Klaasen, Sisanda Magala, Keshav Maharaj, Aiden Markram, David Miller, Lungi Ngidi, Anrich Nortje, Kagiso Rabada, Tabraiz Shamsi, Rassie van der Dussen