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Frylinck earns maiden T20I call, injured Parnell ruled out

Bowling mainstays Kagiso Rabada and Imran Tahir have both been rested from the T20I squad

Firdose Moonda
Firdose Moonda
17-Oct-2017
Robbie Frylinck celebrates getting to a fifty off 20 balls  •  BCCI

Robbie Frylinck celebrates getting to a fifty off 20 balls  •  BCCI

Allrounder Wayne Parnell has been ruled out of the remaining ODIs against Bangladesh and the T20I series with a groin injury. Lions' allrounder Wiaan Mulder replaced Parnell in the ODI squad, with South Africa opting for a new-look T20I group that included uncapped Dolphins allrounder Robbie Frylinck.
Kagiso Rabada and Imran Tahir have both been rested from the T20 squad but regular captain Faf du Plessis and senior batsmen Hashim Amla, AB de Villiers and JP Duminy have all been included.
Chris Morris and Lungi Ngidi were both expected to come into consideration for the T20s but neither has returned to action. Morris is yet to play a game for his franchise, Titans, this season as he continues to recover from a back injury he sustained in England over the winter while Ngidi was named in Titans' squad for the ongoing round of first-class matches, but was not named in the XI.
Dale Steyn (shoulder injury), Morne Morkel (oblique tear) and Vernon Philander (back injury) are all still on the injured list. The trio were due to return for the inaugural edition of the T20 Global League in November but the event has been postponed and it remains to be seen when they will be back.
In Rabada's absence, South Africa will call on Dane Paterson, who is part of the ODI squad, Beuran Hendricks, Andile Phehlukwayo and Frylinck, whose many seasons in the franchise set-up have finally brought reward. Last season, Frylinck picked up two franchise records: best first-class figures of 14 for 62 and the fastest List A fifty, off 20 balls. He also earned a CPL contract, where he played for the Trinbago Knight Riders. He played six matches for them, scored just 23 runs and took one wicket but believes it got him noticed.
"Playing in the CPL didn't do my chances of selection any harm, it probably helped my cause," Frylinck said. "I have had a long career and it became a case of never worrying about gaining higher honours. I have always backed myself to be good enough and now we can hopefully see."
Frylinck will also be called on for his big-hitting, with South Africa still searching for a Lance Klusener-style lower-order player. "The selection of Robbie provides another opportunity to explore our depth in the important all-rounder position. Apart from his bowling strengths he has a proven record as a finisher with the bat," Linda Zondi, South Africa's convener of selectors said.
South Africa have also opted to test the depth of the spin department with Tahir being rested despite his status. "Imran remains our first-choice spinner in both the limited overs formats but we also need to develop depth in this important area," Zondi said.
Tahir was the only spinner included in the one-day squad but has made way for Tabraiz Shamsi and Aaron Phangiso, who played in a fifty-over warm-up match against Bangladesh. While Shamsi was part of the T20 squad in England, Phangiso has not played a match for South Africa since January.
South Africa have also included a second wicket-keeping option in Mangaliso Mosehle.

Firdose Moonda is ESPNcricinfo's South Africa correspondent