Debate over T20 World Cup non-selection continues as Baartman keeps picking up wickets

Ottneil Baartman, the SA20's all-time leading wicket-taker, has revealed that "nobody" from the South Africa national set-up has communicated with him about his omission from the T20 World Cup squad. Baartman, who took 5 for 16 including a hat-trick in Paarl Royals' win over Pretoria Capitals in the SA20 on Thursday, was part of the 2024 T20 World Cup group but has been left out in favour of six other seamers for the upcoming tournament in India and Sri Lanka, and does not know why.

"The World Cup is a different story. All I can do is wish them all the very best on their journey and wish for them to win it," he said in Centurion after Royals' table-topping victory. "I wasn't too disappointed. I didn't think that I was going to be picked. I didn't have the conversations with the coaches and selectors. Obviously guys will be disappointed, but for me, I want to take it each day at a time."

The snub came after Baartman was part of South Africa's squad that played a T20I series in India in December and was their third-highest wicket-taker there. That was also the last time Baartman says he spoke to selection convener Patrick Moroney. "Our selector called me when I was picked for the Indian series, but before that, nobody communicated with me," he said. "The World Cup is a different thing, a different story for me. Nobody actually spoke to me before that or after that so I can't say anything more on that."

Speaking to ESPNcricinfo, Moroney said on Friday, "I spoke to him on the 1st on January and let him know that he was not part of the squad but he is on our reserves list and we would be watching him through the SA20."

Asked if he knew what he needed to do to get back into the squad, Baartman reiterated that he had no idea. "Like I said, nobody spoke to me. So, I didn't have that conversation. I don't know why I wasn't chosen to play."

ESPNcricinfo understands that Baartman is on South Africa's back-up list, should they need to replace a bowler. Changes to T20 World Cup squads can be made until January 31, for any reason, and after that if there is an injury. The event technical committee will then need to approve a change.

Should South Africa need to make any swaps, Baartman has made a strong case for himself. He is currently the leading bowler in the fourth edition of the SA20 and has been instrumental in Royals' rise to lead the log. This is his first season with the Royals after three seasons with the Sunrisers Eastern Cape, where he rose to prominence. In season two, Baartman led the bowling charts until the end, where he was pipped by his team-mate Marco Jansen. His former bowling coach at Sunrisers, Dale Steyn, has vociferously backed Baartman and continues to do so.

On January 5, with the SA20 just about halfway through, Steyn questioned why Baartman was left out, and did it again last night. In a series of tweets, during the game, Steyn posted "Baartman just keeps impressing," followed by a question to CSA: "Why did CSA not wait and announce their team on night of the final, use this tournament has a form guide for players and pick from that? Now we see the selected players under pressure to perform and players who missed out killing it, all while CSA taking the heat, and rightly so!"

Of the 20 teams competing at the T20 World Cup, 14, including South Africa, have named their squads. Head coach Shukri Conrad, who shares selection duties with Moroney, said on an SA20 broadcast that South Africa had already decided their squad during the India tour, though at the conclusion of the tour, he indicated there were still spots up for grabs. Where Baartman stood at that time is not known but he has also received support from national team-mate Keshav Maharaj. "People talk about X-factor and he has it because he is able to hold a length for a long time and he does not leave the stumps, with his bumper and the odd variation," Maharaj, the Capitals captain, said. "He sums up conditions very quickly. He is a world-class performer and he's shown at international level that he can change a game. He is the best death bowler in the country."

Baartman's exclusion is not the only controversial talking point in the South Africa squad. Ryan Rickelton, who is currently the leading run-scorer at the SA20, was also left-out, with Tony de Zorzi preferred. De Zorzi is injured at the moment but is expected to be fit for South Africa's series against West Indies at the end of the month. If de Zorzi is unable to make the final squad, Reeza Hendricks is expected to be called up in his place.