Cricket South Africa (CSA) is likely to hold back some of its star players to light up the second edition of the SA20 instead of sending a power-packed squad to tour New Zealand for a two-match Test series which will be a part of the ongoing World Test Championship (WTC) 2023-25 cycle.
The second season of SA20 will start from January 10 onwards and will run till February 10. In that case, it will clash with South Africa's Test tour of New Zealand starting with the first Test at the Bay Oval in Mount Maunganui from February 4 onwards. The tour will get underway from January 29 with a warm-up fixture.
CSA majorly owns SA20 and hence the South African players have to choose to play for their respective franchises in the T20 tournament over their national duty. It will lead to several star players missing out on the New Zealand tour and can very well cost them a few crucial WTC points.
Pholetsi Moseki, the CEO of CSA informed that South African players participating in the tournament won't be available for the New Zealand tour as it is a directive from the apex governing body in the country.
"Protea players in the SA20 will not be going to New Zealand and that is a directive from CSA. But our plans are on track. The auction will be the next milestone and Shukri (Shukri Conrad, the Test coach) will then determine player availability for the tour," Moseki told ESPNcricinfo.
The Proteas will be heading into the New Zealand tour after hosting India at home in a bilateral contest featuring three T2OIs, as many ODIs and two Test matches. The tour will start with the first T20I at the Kingsmead in Durban on December 10 and will culminate with the second Test in Capetown (January 3 to January 7).
