Ahead of the T20 World Cup 2026, South Africa`s Ryan Rickelton said that he wants to lean a little bit more on his Indian Premier League (IPL) experience.
Rickleton and Tristan Stubbs have been added to South Africa`s squad for the global showpiece as Tony de Zorzi and Donovam Ferreira have sustained injuries.
“I probably need to lean a little bit more on my IPL experience. It was one-day cricket where I was struggling. I suppose I got a bit of experience with the IPL, with the pressure, I`m quite familiar with the ground and probably a lot of the players I`m going to come up against,” Rickelton said, as quoted by ESPNcricinfo.
Ahead of the upcoming ICC event, Rickelton said that he needs to think about his approach in the subcontinent, where he has two ducks from two ODIs in India but scored a century in the Champions Trophy in Pakistan.
He also feels that in a country like India, where cricket is considered a religion, every match is a big game.
“At ICC events, everything ramps up. Especially in India, where cricket is a religion. The intensity with which the game is played goes through the roof. Everyone gets up for it, no matter what physical or mental state you`re in….and every game is a big game,” he said.
So far, Rickelton has represented South Africa in 18 T20I matches and has accumulated 381 runs. He has also registered two half-centuries under his name, and has a top score of 76 runs.
T20 World Cup 2026: Group D teams
Ahead of the T20 World Cup 2026, South Africa is placed in Group D along with teams such as Afghanistan, Canada, New Zealand, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Aiden Markram has been named as South Africa`s skipper for the tournament. Additionally, Dewald Brevis will be a player to watch out for from South Africa`s dugout during the much-awaited tournament.
With the marquee event scheduled to kick off from February 7, the Proteas will begin their campaign on February 9 by playing a clash against Canada at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.
(With ANI Inputs)
